


Stay With Me Until Sunrise

by NeutronStarChild



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BDSM, Before Sunrise, Blind Date, Consensual Sex, F/M, Romance, San Francisco, Sexual Role-play, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:41:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26992312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeutronStarChild/pseuds/NeutronStarChild
Summary: Kikyo and Kagome go on a blind double-date with two men. One is grumpy with long hair and one is fun with an edge of sarcasm with short brown hair. Kikyo decides she wants to “switch” men with Kagome, leaving her with the extremely attractive grump. After a good second-chance date, the grump asks if Kagome wants to spend the rest of the night walking around the city with him. Because he has something he desperately wants her to see at sunrise.Fun Youtube playlist that musically follows the whole story can be foundhere!Artwork commission byheavenin--hell
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Kikyou/Suikotsu (InuYasha)
Comments: 374
Kudos: 331
Collections: Divergent Adventures of Inuyasha





	1. Double Blind

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by [Fawn_Eyed_Girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fawn_Eyed_Girl) and [Ruddcatha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruddcatha)

“Remind me how you talked me into this,” Kagome grumbled, her feet fumbling as Kikyo tugged on her hand.

Why was she here, dressed in an emerald green blouse underneath her leather jacket, while her cousin was wearing her white sleeveless turtleneck under a black glittery suit jacket? Why had she shimmied into her too-tight navy blue jeans and thrown on her green ballet flats (because she was  _ not _ running through San Francisco in heels thankyouverymuch), while her cousin had thrown on that black pencil skirt that made her legs look amazing, and red pumps? Why had she curled her hair and thrown on a smokey eye, while her cousin wore her hair pinned back with just a swipe of eyeliner and a kiss of lip gloss?

“I didn’t. Miroku did,” Kikyo answered, pulling Kagome up the BART steps and into San Francisco’s Mission district.

Right. A date. A double date. A  _ blind _ double date.

It was true. Miroku had prodded her for a long time about her up with some of his coworkers. And, three shots in, while watching horror movies together at his and Sango’s place, it seemed like a really good idea.

Kagome even vaguely remembered shouting “get me laiddddddd!”

But now, running through the streets because they were late, Kagome was not so sure she made the smart decision to let Miroku do this. Yes, sure, it had been a longass time since Kagome had had a  _ good _ lay, and the idea of it being a double blind date that included Kikyo had been appealing (safety in numbers after all), but throughout her life, Kikyo was always the prettier one, the funnier one, the more desirable one. And Miroku set them up with coworkers. From the tech startup he worked for.

Kagome hated going on dates with tech bros. Half the time, they’d fuck her once then ghost, only to appear as 2am dickpics months later. The other half were worse. As soon as they found out where she worked, their date became an impromptu interview and pitch. She  _ hated _ it so much she stopped mentioning what she did at all—working for Pixar was one of those jobs that  _ everyone _ in the tech sector seemed to want, and Kagome was exhausted, trying to sort between people genuinely interested in  _ her  _ and those who strung her along to get that coveted “internal recommendation.”

“Right there!” Kikyo pointed to the Jamaican-Mexican fusion restaurant where they were meeting ‘Suikotsu Shichin and Inuyasha Taisho’.

Miroku had insisted that both of the men were ‘good guys’ and ‘not like other tech bros.’ Apparently both had a surly streak, and neither really bought into the Silicon Valley culture. Suikotsu was a doctor that worked as a consultant for the predictive modeling part of the medical software they were developing, and Inuyasha was a backend engineer. Miroku had intentionally set Kagome up with Suikotsu, in part to avoid the “Pixar problem.” And all Miroku had said about the men’s appearances was “you’ll know them when you see them.” (Real helpful, Miroku.)

“Seriously though, why did we agree to this?” Kagome whined, letting herself be dragged along by her enthusiastic cousin.

“Because we had too much whiskey and Miroku is a smooth talker,” Kikyo replied. “Besides, who knows? Maybe it’ll be fun! Worst case scenario you and I text each other from the bathroom and then have a girl’s night on the town  _ away _ from our dates.”

“Well… and who knows? Maybe this Suikotsu will be the first guy in months that I see more than once… or at least who doesn’t talk to me about his extensive and impressive resume and maybe he could send me his LinkedIn profile!” Kagome groaned. “What did Miroku say about the other one? Inuyasha?”

“Grumpy. But apparently also that super reliable friend when the chips are down,” Kikyo answered. “Not sure why he didn’t tell us  _ anything _ about what the two looked like.”

“I mean. Maybe he did? Probably after we’d polished off the bourbon.” Kagome giggled. Yes, that had been a fun night. Also, that had  _ not _ been a fun hangover.

“Come on. The worst that can happen is we hate them then we go dancing or head up to the Castro before we grab the last BART train,” Kikyo cajoled, and Kagome finally sped her flat-adorned feet through the door of the restaurant, so Kikyo no longer had to drag her.

The two stopped in front of the door, took a breath together, then walked over the threshold. To go on a date. A blind date. A blind double date.

Kikyo squeezed Kagome’s hand as the two scanned the restaurant. It was a sea of color and activity, with most of its festive tables full and the waitstaff hurrying between tables looking like black and white worker bees. Most of the patrons looked to have full tables, with a good mix of friends, dates, and even a couple of families not afraid to brave the Mission on a Friday night.

As Kagome’s eyes searched the restaurant, they finally stopped on a pair toward the back of the vibrantly colored room. In the far corner, two men sat together at a table set for four. Somehow, she knew it was the table that housed Suikotsu and Inuyasha: Kagome and Kikyo’s dates. Kagome watched as both the men made eye contact with her, and was surprised to see how different their reactions were. The man with the short brown hair’s eyes widened as he took Kagome and Kikyo in, with his face slowly but deliberately morphing into a smile. His posture became stick straight, and he waved, beckoning them over. His reaction could not have been more different from his colleague’s.

To Kagome’s dismay, the other man (indeed, the one  _ she _ found more attractive) was slumped into his chair, wearing a scowl so practiced it made Kagome wonder if the man  _ ever _ learned how to smile. His arms were crossed protectively over his chest, and he seemed to be using his long black hair to shield his face further from the two. Kagome prayed that the brown-haired man was Suikotsu, because she was not sure she could stomach the hot sourpuss. Kikyo was always better at getting people to come out of their shells—the talent of a successful tea shop owner.

“It’s them,” Kagome whispered to her cousin, pointing to the men in the corner. She smiled and waved back at the brown-haired man, and she and Kikyo advanced on their dates.

“Which one do you think is which?” Kikyo asked quietly, but Kagome could feel the tension in her cousin’s arm. Apparently Kikyo was  _ also _ not in the mood to deal with the sourpuss, but she was ever an optimist. “I mean… maybe they’re both nice once you get to know them?”

“I think I figured out a more accurate worst case scenario,” Kagome whispered into Kikyo’s ears, but could say no more, as the two were now in front of their dates.

“Are you… Kagome and Kikyo?” the brown-haired man asked.

“That’s us! Hi, I’m Kikyo and this is Kagome!” Kikyo smiled brilliantly at the two, which only seemed to make the long-haired man’s scowl deepen.

“I’m Suikotsu. This…” the brown-haired man pointed at his scowling colleague, “is Inuyasha.”

“Keh,” was all Inuyasha said in response to his colleague’s introduction.

Kagome didn’t need to pay attention to see Kikyo’s body tighten. Apparently Kikyo had drawn the short straw.

“Nice to meet you.” Kagome smiled at Suikotsu as she and Kikyo sat down.

Now that she was closer to the two, Kagome was able to fully appreciate how attractive they both were. Suikotsu’s brown hair was somehow both well kempt and shaggy, framing his face attractively. His eyes were a soulful gray, and seemed to get deeper the longer one gazed into them, with the occasional laugh line (that just made him more attractive). His face was youthful and he was clean shaven, with a small nose but a strong jaw. He was tall and well-built, with muscular arms, and even under his blue button-down shirt, it was clear that the musculature included his pecs and his abs. And when he smiled, it always started with his eyes and radiated out to the rest of his face.

“So how did Miroku convince you that this was a great idea?” Suikotsu asked, aiming the question at both Kagome and Kikyo.

“Whiskey,” they both answered at the same time, making them laugh. Suikotsu threw them a good-natured smile. The sourpuss scoffed.

“How about you?” Kagome interrupted, squeezing Kikyo’s hand under the table.

“There’s a reason Miroku’s our best salesman.” Suikotsu shrugged, but then his eyes began to smile, “He… spoke highly of you.”

“Yeah whatever,” Inuyasha interrupted, drawing everyone’s eyes. “Suikotsu just got out of a bad breakup and needed a distraction. I’m here because the dumbass called in a favor.”

Kikyo tensed at the man’s boldness, and rudeness. Kagome looked over at her, and could see her lips purse.

This was beginning to look like a night of faked sickness and dancing in the Mission.

“Really. Well then. Why don’t you go sit at the bar over there for a while?” Kagome glared daggers into Inuyasha’s violet eyes, his  _ mesmerizing _ violet eyes. Inuyasha “keh”ed in response but made no move toward the bar.

No. She was here on a date with Suikotsu. The  _ pleasant one _ . And she loved her cousin, who was beautiful and funny and kind and—holy shit did he even  _ see her _ ? She looked damn fine!

“I… I don’t think we need to do that. I-Inuyasha is just having a… bad day,” Suikotsu apologized, shooting Inuyasha a similarly murderous glare.

“So, uh. What do you do Inuyasha?” Kikyo tried, still holding Kagome’s hand.

Before they could continue, a waiter came to take their order. The double-shot margaritas that both Kagome and Kikyo ordered were… unsurprising. And Kagome had already decided she was going to cover at least her food and drink. For some reason, even though he was Kikyo’s date, Inuyasha was getting on her nerves. The way he wouldn’t make eye contact with either of them, or even pretend to be the  _ least  _ bit interested, burrowed under Kagome’s skin. His muscular form was pleasant to look at, sure, but he seemed to be using his body to blockade anyone from trying to get close to him. He also radiated misery, making Kagome wonder if Miroku had  _ blackmailed _ him into showing up. It… made her feel sorry for Kikyo.

But for some reason, she couldn’t stop looking over at the long-haired man. His hostility felt  _ defensive _ somehow, instead of being meant to cut. Like he was protecting himself from some inevitable hurt. Maybe that duality was why Kagome was paying such close attention.

“Sorry… let’s try that again. Inuyasha, what is it you do?” Kikyo tried again.  
(It was a testament to Kikyo that she’d refused to give up on the sourpuss.)

“Backend stuff. I work on the algorithms that run the code,” Inuyasha answered, still looking as surly as ever, but throwing a lightning fast glance at Kagome.

As soon as the drinks were served, things became marginally less painful. Kagome and Suikotsu had gotten into an awkward but amusing routine of playing ask and answer. Kagome was relieved to find out that he, an M.D., only cared about Pixar as far as believing that  _ Up _ was their best work.

“I’ve always been an  _ Inside Out _ fan,” Kikyo interrupted, nudging Kagome. “Did you know that  _ this girl _ did some of the story boards for it? If you liked Anger, you can thank her!”

Kagome blushed. That was totally not true. Well, fine, sure, she’d been the one who figured out Anger’s design, but everything was done amongst creative teams.

“They have decent technology,” Inuyasha jumped in. “Renderman is some real solid coding.”

Inuyasha looked at Kagome as he said it, his violet eyes searching her face, as if he wanted to see how she’d react. Pixar was a strange place. Coders and artists didn’t have a lot of cross-interaction, so while she knew what Renderman was, she didn’t know much beyond that. But… Inuyasha said it to  _ impress _ her. It made her freeze a little bit. She braced herself for his offer to become her LinkedIn friend… but, the inevitable pitch to “put in a good word for me!” never came. Either Inuyasha really had just mentioned it because he thought she’d be interested to know that he knew something about Pixar’s infrastructure, or he was slyer than all the others. Kagome really hoped it was the former.

Soon the conversation turned to Kikyo’s tea shop / book shop in East Bay. Kikyo loved tea, and loved books. Her shop was new, but she’d come into the market at exactly the right time. The tech sector was moving into Oakland, and they all wanted things that were somehow both high-end and cozy. A tea shoppe with independently sourced tea from farmers she could name plus an independent bookstore? The hipsters ate it up (and well… Kikyo’s tea was top end.)

“No coffee?” Suikotsu asked.

“If we do things, we should do them right and do them well. It was  _ enough _ of a challenge traveling to India and China and even Japan looking for the farmers I wanted to source from…” Kikyo answered. “Were I to bring coffee in, I’d have a lot of work to do finding the ones not being exploited...”

“Wait. You seriously traveled to the  _ tea farms _ that your tea is from?” Suikotsu was leaning over the table, his eyes bright and focused on Kikyo.

“Yeah. I mean… if I didn’t, how could I be sure that the Oolong I was serving was both the best, and serving the village that harvests it?” Kikyo answered.

“So… back after my residency, I did Medecins sans Frontieres,” Suikotsu smiled. “I was stationed in Ethiopia. So… believe it or not, if you ever want to expand into coffee. I could help.”

“Are you serious?!?!” Kikyo exclaimed.

Suddenly, the conversation seemed to be taking place across the table, Kagome and Inuyasha lost in the enthusiastic banter between their dates. Kagome wanted to laugh out loud.  _ Finally _ she’d met a guy who was not immediately trying to get into her pants or Pixar, and he was quickly falling for her cousin. But… well… Kagome was not as unhappy about that as she thought she would be.

As Kikyo and Suikotsu talked, Kagome threw furtive looks over toward Inuyasha. Surprisingly, oftentimes when she looked at him, she found he was looking back at her. She dropped her gaze, but couldn’t help herself in really taking him in. He was wearing a red button-down shirt that fit him near perfectly, and his onyx hair shone like obsidian. He was better muscled than Suikotsu: taller, and leaner. His eyelashes were long and his eyebrows pronounced, but it suited his face perfectly. If he was not constantly frowning, one might even describe his face as having a boyish charm. The problem was, even as Kagome studied, she hadn’t managed to catch Inuyasha smiling. Not even once. But the thing that really held Kagome hostage were Inuyasha’s eyes. Even as his eyebrows made him look angry, his eyes were… sad. As if they’d seen so much misery that it had permanently burrowed into them. It made Kagome want to reach out to him, to find out what had brought such old eyes to such a young man. But... she didn’t. Inuyasha seemed to be growing more sullen by the second, erecting evermore powerful barriers around himself as he watched his date choose his colleague, believing that Suikotsu was now on  _ two _ dates and Inuyasha had been left all alone at a table of four.

But that wasn’t what was happening, was it? Kagome didn’t  _ want _ to compete with Kikyo for a date with Suikotsu. As if… as if… they were  _ both _ on the wrong dates.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” Kagome announced, prodding her cousin in the thigh under the table.

“Oh! Uh. Me too…” Kikyo stood up with Kagome, “You know how women are…”

The two set off for the lavatory with a purpose. Kagome wondered if Kikyo knew what her proposal was going to be. If she’d accept it. If she’d be offended.

But… why? Why was she trading her friendly, doctor date for the sullen grumpy one? Was it because she was watching Kikyo and Suikotsu hit it off? Was that all it was? Magnanimity for her cousin having found a man she could really connect with? Or was it because she was finding herself inexplicably drawn to the dark-haired man with the sad eyes? Who was miserable but still appeared to be trying? Who… who… was already arresting too large a portion of Kagome’s mind.

“I want to switch dates.” Kikyo’s words interrupted Kagome’s thoughts. “I… I know I am sticking you with the grouch but… but… I don’t know. It’s been a really long time since I felt this way about… well… anyone. Kags. I would owe you  _ big time _ . Please.”

“Okay.” Kagome didn’t need to fight back. Didn’t  _ want _ to. “So… how do we do this without making either of them storm out?”

“I mean… you could  _ lie _ and say you thought you were hitting it off better with Inuyasha…” Kikyo suggested weakly.

“No. Inuyasha would never believe that,” Kagome retorted (even if it had a sliver of truth to it). “Here’s what we’re going to do.”

Kagome whispered the plan into Kikyo’s ear, then both women headed back to the table (after having, in fact, relieved themselves).

“Inuyasha?” Kagome walked over to the sad-eyed sourpuss. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened, then narrowed.

“Everything okay Kagome?” Suikotsu’s eyes widened too, but Kagome didn’t miss that he was scanning the restaurant for Kikyo.

“Yes. I just… I’d like to talk to Inuyasha if you don’t mind.” Kagome smiled apologetically at Suikotsu, then meaningfully at Inuyasha. “I could use another drink. Want to accompany me to the bar?”

“Whatever,” Inuyasha answered, and slapped his knees as he stood up.

He was even taller than Kagome had believed him to be. She had to swallow to keep herself from gawping at him.

As soon as the two made it to the bar and Kagome ordered them both a wheat beer, Inuyasha rounded on her, leaning in close enough that Kagome could feel his breath on her face.

“So she paid ya off, huh?” Inuyasha’s whisper carried his scowl with such intensity that Kagome really didn’t need to look in his eyes to see them alight with fire.

“They had chemistry, and I wanted my cousin to get to see if that was real,” Kagome answered. Inuyasha was not one to lie to, and she didn’t plan to. “Plus, I… sort of wanted to get to know you too.”

“Don’t bullshit me,” Inuyasha accused, leaning even closer to Kagome. His eyes searched hers, full of suspicion and even anger, but underneath it all, Kagome saw the hurt of a man with the face of a boy having lived a lifetime of pain.

“I mean… You certainly haven’t been the most pleasant date,” Kagome chuckled, set on honesty being the best policy at that moment, “But… it’s been a long time for me and it’s not…  _ everyday _ that someone talks to me about Renderman and doesn’t follow it up by trying to hand me their resume.”

Kagome decided not to mention that even under his scowl, he aroused her and fascinated her.

“That happens to you?” Inuyasha’s eyebrows raised as he studied her, looking like he was looking for any sign that this was a trick.

“Yeah,” Kagome admitted, happy when her beer arrived and she could take a gulp. “A  _ lot _ .”

“Good thing I didn’t bring my resume.” Inuyasha allowed himself a small smile.

He was attractive already, but something about him smiling set Kagome’s nerves on fire.

“What about you? Is getting surprise switched on a blind double date the worst thing that’s happened to you on a date?” Kagome matched Inuyasha’s small smile.

“This doesn’t even qualify for top ten,” Inuyasha answered, taking a swig of his own beer. “When you’re…  _ me _ … dates usually end up complete shitshows.” Inuyasha chuckled darkly, shaking his head, then finished his beer in a single gulp. “I probably shouldn’t have come out tonight.”

“We’re that bad huh?” Kagome asked, trying not to feel offended. But, well… she was Inuyasha’s consolation prize after all.

“No! No. It’s not… that.” Inuyasha scooted a little bit closer to her.

“Then… why did you come out?” Kagome asked, keeping hurt out of her voice.

“Because Miroku called in a favor,” Inuyasha said with a finality that surprised Kagome.

Before Kagome could say something, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Excuse me ma’am. Would you mind clearing your table?” A staff member was pointing to the corner table that she and Inuyasha had abandoned, a table that apparently Suikotsu and Kikyo had abandoned too. Though she could see the signed check. Apparently Kikyo and Suikotsu had expressed their gratitude by covering the bill.

“Sure...” Kagome answered the waiter, then mumbled, mostly to herself, “Damn. I’d had my eye on their spicy mango ice cream for dessert.”

“Oi!” Inuyasha called the bartender over (perhaps a bit too abruptly), “Can we order food from here?” When the bartender nodded, Inuyasha handed the man his card, “Spicy mango ice cream. Put it on my tab.”

That was how Kagome and Inuyasha officially started  _ their _ date. With an ice cream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are liking seeing an Inuyasha interact Kagome as a human, you might want to check out [Novel Encounters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23048329) by [Dawnrider!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawnrider/pseuds/Dawnrider)


	2. The Proposition

“How the hell can that be any good?” Inuyasha asked, his nose scrunched as he looked at the orange dome of frozen cream sprinkled with bright red crystallized pepper flakes.

“Not a fan of spicy food?” Kagome said between massive spoonfuls, “I thought I saw you get the goat curry tacos back there.”

“Not many times I can… tolerate it.” Inuyasha answered, turning his face away from hers. “Tonight. I wanted to… see what all the fuss was about.”

“Well? Do you get the fuss?” Kagome elbowed Inuyasha. The small contact she made with his body caused an involuntary shiver to go through him. He tried not to pay attention.

It was a fucking weird night. Miroku had called in a favor, something he rarely if ever did. And without thinking, Inuyasha had committed. How the fuck was he to know that it was to go on a double-date with his dumb friend’s girlfriend’s friend on his _fucking human night_. He’d been tempted to cancel, to tell Miroku he could have two favors back or something, but… well… Miroku promised that Kikyo Sekimuro was sweet and smart and _tolerant_. And Suikotsu needed a wingman (and well, babysitter, if he drank too much) for his date with the other one—Kagome Higurashi, Miroku had said.

He hadn’t expected to see the two women walk into the restaurant and have his heart jump into his throat. One woman was tall, with pin straight hair and wore a lot of black that made her look like a mannequin in a fancy clothes store. Sure, she was good looking, with a perfect complexion and soulful almond-shaped eyes, but her demeanor looked a little stiff. The other woman, though, caused Inuyasha to salivate. Her wavy black hair was complemented perfectly by the bright green satin shirt she wore, and the jeans that were so tight they had gotten to third base with her curves (holy hell her _ass_ ). Her glittering chocolate eyes and full, pouting lips were... He hadn’t expected to feel so fucking disappointed when the taller of the two sat down across from him as his date, which made his already-miserable human night more miserable.

Okay, fine. He’d been an asshole. He didn’t want to deal with the fucking disappointment that would come when they found out that he didn’t _really_ look like that most of the time. Women always gave him that little look of disgust when they saw his real ears and his real eyes and his real fingers and especially his _fangs_.

Then Kagome made him _want_ to try. It started with the glances she shot at him while he watched Suikotsu work his magic on both the women. He nearly tripped over himself mentioning Renderman, because he wanted to impress her (even though she wasn’t his date.) Kikyo was a nice girl, but… Inuyasha wasn’t exactly disappointed when he saw the dewy little gaze come to Suikotsu’s face as he talked to the tea connoisseur about Ethiopia. When the women snuck to the bathroom and Kagome had pulled him over to _switch dates_ , he was _pissed_... at how desperately he hoped she actually wanted to switch. When her earnest brown eyes met his and she said she _did_ want to switch, he knew she was telling the truth. And… it made him brighten, even against his will.

It was the best ending to that double date, and the worst possible timing to meet someone he might actually _like_.

“People _like_ burning their tongues? That’s a thing they do?” Inuyasha grumbled a small smile lighting his face. In reality he’d actually liked the goat curry tacos. They hurt his tongue, but it did not feel like he was dunking his face in molten lava like it usually did. Apparently the dulling of his senses came in handy for something.

“You should smile more.” Kagome ribbed, and he wanted to tell her if she kept smiling at him like that he’d fucking _staple_ his face into a smile. But he resisted the urge.

“Keh.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and took another deep swig of his beer. It emboldened him to keep at it. To _flirt_. Inuyasha leaned forward a bit more, and he felt both lighter and heavier, like a weight was off his shoulders but something _else_ was taking root in his heart. It dissolved his resistance to letting his feelings show on his face. “Gimme reasons to smile and maybe I will.”

He really missed knowing what she smelled like—missed that little extra information that could tell him how she was feeling, how he was doing, if she enjoyed being there with him on this _date_.

How had this tiny woman who worked for Pixar so quickly burrowed past his barriers?

Fucking human nights. He was all emotions with nothing to protect him from them. And now that he was no longer a ball of hatred and anger, he was feeling… other things. It was making his brain work on overdrive, trying to figure out what to do.

“And yes. People like burning their tongues. It adds… _depth_ to a flavor.” Kagome chuckled, dipping her spoon into the ice cream, then licking the creamy concoction off of it with a flourish.

Inuyasha tried to resist watching her tongue, _picturing her tongue_ … on him. Did she know she was doing that? Of-fucking-course she did. Women always knew. But, the way her eyes sparkled and she shivered slightly at his gaze was genuine. It was… nice. It was… encouraging. It had been a long-ass time since he actually liked flirting with a woman, and fucking _hell_ did he like flirting with Kagome.

“Lots of better ways to experience _flavor_ ,” Inuyasha rolled his eyes, “And after goat curry tacos. I don’t think I need to experience _spicy_ again for a while.”

“How about this. If you try one bite of this ice cream, I’ll buy you a beer.” Kagome plunged her spoon into the bowl, then scooped the last little bit of the fruit sherbet laced with pepper, causing the glass to release a pleasant tinkle.

“One bite for a beer?” Inuyasha’s eyes widened, and his lips curled upward. A bite wouldn’t kill him, not on his human night. And a beer meant… meant that the date was going to continue.

“Yep. Try it, it’s divine.” Kagome brought the spoon between them, then slowly, cloyingly, brought the dollop of mango to Inuyasha’s lips. He opened his mouth to accept her gift.

Kagome slowly moved the spoon into Inuyasha’s mouth and he closed his mouth around it. Inuyasha curled his tongue around the spoon and licked it clean, pleased to see that Kagome had not been able to rip her eyes away from the little silver handle disappearing between his lips. He couldn’t be sure, but he sure _hoped_ that Kagome was thinking about other things he could do with his tongue—things he certainly _wanted_ to do with his tongue.

Then the little death crystals inside of the damn ice cream hit his palate, igniting in his mouth and making him have to fight not to spit the clearly-poisoned ice cream out.

“Blegh! How the fuck did you eat the whole damn thing?” Inuyasha’s face was scrunched and his tongue lolled out of his mouth before he grabbed the beer in front of him and downed the rest of it, cleansing his palette of the molten death Kagome had just fed him.

Her laughter rang throughout the restaurant, clear like bells, even to his inferior human ears. The way her body shook with unfettered laughter was again not doing him any favors. _Fuck_. He liked her. And now he was stuck having to figure out how to do it. How to have her _see_ him for who he was, before he fell too hard. Before his heart could be smashed into tiny pieces, like every other fucking time.

“Don’t worry.” Kagome rubbed Inuyasha’s shoulder, and it took everything in him not to lean into her delicate touch. “Could we get another?” She signaled to the bartender, who nodded.

“Aren’t you startin’ to feel all this booze?” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow as Kagome finished her own beer.

“Sure! But it was a long week, and tonight I wanted to have fun.” Kagome threw Inuyasha a glance, and he took in the little wrinkles that fanned out from her eyes. _Laugh lines._

“Probably didn’t expect to be stuck with an asshole like me while your cousin made off with the doctor.” Inuyasha scoffed. He hadn’t stopped thinking about being the second choice. Not yet.

“Keh!” Kagome deliberately said the word in Inuyasha’s voice. “You’re gonna need to stop throwing that pity party Inuyasha. We started our date with the wrong people and we’re ending it with the right ones. If you keep calling yourself leftovers, you’re going to make _me_ think you think of me like that too.”

Fuck. He hadn’t thought about that.

“You’re not leftovers.” Inuyasha mumbled.

“What?” Kagome cupped her hand over her ear.

“You’re not leftovers Kagome. I… I was disappointed when you didn’t sit across from me.” fucking hell, Inuyasha’s human emotions were the worst.

“Neither were you.” Kagome looked at him, lifting her hand to reach out and stroke his hair, “So… how about you stop moping around and drink the beer I just bought you?”

He was a fucking goner. It wasn’t fucking fair.

Kagome was a woman he couldn’t smell and yet he knew if he could he would get drunk on her scent. Kagome was a woman he certainly could not sleep with and leave in the morning (Miroku and his girlfriend would have his balls), but… he also already knew he wouldn’t _want_ to leave. She was a woman who seemed attuned enough to him that he didn’t want to risk telling her what he was, because she _would_ do everything to spare his feelings but… he wanted to know. He had to know. _Desperately_. And he wanted to make sure that he got the truth from her.

He had to see it in her eyes.  
Maybe there _was_ a way.  
A way that meant he would know the truth and get to spend more time with her.

Inuyasha downed his beer. He knew now what he was going to do. He just… had to convince Kagome it was a good idea.

“This is my last beer at this place,” Inuyasha chuckled. How long had it been since he laughed on a human night? “Too expensive. I know a better place. If… if you want the date to continue?”

He promised himself he wouldn’t fucking whine. But as Kagome tapped her lips and considered, he was pretty sure one escaped him. Fucking human nights…

“Miroku _did say_ that neither of you were serial killers. Or tech bros.” Kagome’s eyes gained a mischievous glint. “I _suppose_ we could… continue our date.”

Inuyasha smiled, and waved the bartender back to cover both his and Kagome’s tabs. She protested, but… it had been a fucklong time since Inuyasha had gone on a date and actually _enjoyed it_ , so he wanted to do it all the way. When Kagome growled at him, he growled right back.

“Just let me pay woman!” Inuyasha body-blocked the tiny woman as she tried to grab the bill from him. Kagome, for her short arm span and small stature was a damn spider monkey. It was not helping Inuyasha’s fantasies. Finally, she gave in and he signed the receipts, leaving the bartender a generous tip.

“You better not expect _anything_ because you paid.” Kagome grumbled. The problem was that her scrunched up nose and her pouting lips were fucking adorable. Inuyasha wanted to rile her up solely to see her make that face.

“Already got everything I could hope for.” Inuyasha’s smile became a grin, holding back the urge to pinch Kagome’s cheek. Fuck, when had beer become this potent?

Right. Human night.

“Oh yeah? Well…” Kagome slid off the bar stool and put on her leather jacket, “I buy the next round at the next bar.”

Inuyasha wasn’t about to say no.

“Fine.” Inuyasha answered, grabbing his own jacket. “It’s not far.”

As they walked to the little off-the-beaten-path bar that Inuyasha knew about from Miroku, he thought about how to ask Kagome for what he wanted—what he needed. Because if he fell for her, he needed to make sure she would fall for _him_ too.

“Hey Kagome.” Inuyasha figured he should just ask. If she was unwilling, it was best to know now, go their separate ways, and he could pretend it never happened.

“What is it Inuyasha?” Kagome’s bright eyes found his.

“What if… what if we made this date one that lasted past… uh… this bar? Like… maybe… we could… _the whole night?_ ” Inuyasha could already see Kagome’s eyes narrowing. He wanted to immediately backtrack and explain himself, but instead he took a breath. He could _do this._ “Not… not like that. Uh. I… I wondered if you might… wanna just… wander with me. Tonight. Around the city. ‘Til sunrise.”

“Just… wander the city.” Kagome looked a bit stunned at his proposal, probably because she was expecting it to go an entirely different way. “Until sunrise.”

“Yeah. It’s… stupid I know. But…” Inuyasha tried not to trip over his words. “But, I think it could be fun. And… there’s somethin’ I want you to see. At sunrise.”

Kagome stopped, her eyes shrewd but not afraid, considering. Inuyasha wanted to burst out _why_ , but… he wanted to surprise her more. Because then he would know. And he really _really_ wanted to know if she’d accept him—want to _be with him_ —when she discovered he was a half-demon.

“What the hell?” Kagome let out another of her addictively musical laughs. “Okay Inuyasha. Let’s do this. You, me, and San Francisco. Until sunrise.”


	3. Bests and Worsts

Sunrise.  
Wander the city until sunrise with this grumpy friend of Miroku’s. It was the sort of romantic thing that only happened in movies. Girl meets boy, girl switches with cousin for other boy, other boy and girl wander the city all night talking and falling in love.

Though the love bit was definitely bullshit, it was spontaneous and fun and something that Kagome had sort of always wanted to do. And Inuyasha was extremely hot.

Kagome had missed most of the conversations that Miroku had with Kikyo about Inuyasha, but even from what Kikyo said, he’d been sort of cagey about Inuyasha’s appearance, just that “you’ll know him when you see him”. Inuyasha certainly had a presence. It was almost as if his aura outshined the rest of his body. And he also looked extremely uncomfortable in his own skin. But that might have been first date jitters, because it was pretty clear that Inuyasha did not get out and date much.

Once they found their way into the little bar that Inuyasha had suggested, Kagome excused herself to pee.

 _Kikyo and I switched dates. I’m still hanging out with Inuyasha._  
Kagome texted Miroku from the bathroom.

Inuyasha seemed mostly to be cantankerous, but she still wanted to make sure someone knew who she was with if she… was going to be spending an entire night with a… stranger. (A _hot_ stranger, who was quickly becoming less and less of a stranger.)

 _Oh really?_ 😂 _Tell Yash to behave.  
_ Miroku’s reply caused Kagome to cock her head.

 _He asked me to hang out with him until sunrise. Do you know what that’s about?_  
Kagome texted back.

It took Miroku a while to text back, even as Kagome could tell he was typing.

 _Inuyasha is one of the best dudes I know. He comes with the Miroku seal of approval. You should take him up on it_ 😏🍆  
Miroku’s answer got Kagome to roll her eyes, being entirely unhelpful. But at least Miroku reiterated that Inuyasha was no sort of serial killer, and “best dude” _was_ high praise from him…

Kagome rolled her eyes at the eggplant. Nope. No eggplant tonight. She would be spending the night with Inuyasha in a far different way—actually, had she _ever_ spent an entire night with a man like this? It was… it was something _new_. Something _invigorating_. Kagome took a deep breath, then headed back to the booth in the dimly lit bar where her “all night” was starting. Inuyasha perked up when he saw her. Kagome slid into the heavy wood booth, running her hands over the rough leather.

“So… did my background check come back?” Inuyasha chuckled, sliding a half-pint of cider to Kagome.

“Miroku called you ‘one of the best dudes,’” Kagome winked, then took a sip of the cider.

“So you _did_ check up on me!” Inuyasha carped, but his grin was wide enough that Kagome could see his teeth glinting in the low light of the bar.

“Of course I did!” Kagome laughed. “You’re a big grump who likes Renderman. Those can be dangerous!”

“Oh,” Inuyasha leaned toward Kagome, his eyes burning through heavy lids, “I’m _definitely_ dangerous.”

“Is that so?” Kagome leaned in to meet him, thrilled to see his eyes widen. “Just _how dangerous_ I wonder...”

For one moment, nothing else around the two of them existed. Kagome drowned in Inuyasha’s violet eyes—old eyes on his boyish face. She breathed in his scent—he smelled like sandalwood and hops, though Kagome was not sure whether the latter came from the beer he was drinking or was just natural. She tried to keep her fingers from finding their way into his curtains of long, dark hair, which draped softly on his shoulders and billowed down his side. Something, though, stalled her forward progress: even through the bright gleam of desire she saw there, she also saw a glint of despair in Inuyasha’s eyes.

Kagome leaned back, clearing her throat. She wanted to touch him, smell him, maybe even _kiss_ him. Why did she want to do that? It was as if her soul keened for her to reach out for him and fill him with light. It was… it was a _lot_ for knowing him only a couple hours. Too much really. Way too much. Way too soon.

“So…” Kagome breathed, shaking the heaviness of the previous moment out of her head. She… she needed this to feel like a first date, because it _was_ a first date. And on first dates, people asked each other questions. “What was the worst date you ever had?”

Maybe not the best question to ask out of the gate, but… it seemed to bring Inuyasha back to himself, back to the present, and the sadness Kagome saw in his eyes was buried again.

“It was… _real bad_ ,” Inuyasha said hesitantly.

“Worse than getting switcheroo’d by cousins?” Kagome raised her eyebrow. True, okay, Inuyasha seemed pretty happy to be on a date with _her_ , but… with someone as model-beautiful as Kikyo for a cousin, well… Kagome sometimes had trouble believing that a man would not consider _her_ the short stick.

“Shit, this might go down as one of my _best_ dates, woman!” Inuyasha’s smile lit up his face, then he leaned in. “I’m glad you wanted to switcheroo.”

“I… I’m glad too, Inuyasha.” Kagome folded her hand under her chin, then with her other hand, poked Inuyasha in the nose. “But you can’t tease your worst date like that and not go into any details!”

Inuyasha sighed at Kagome’s prod, then snatched her hand in his. “I’ll share if you share.”

Kagome gave a little theatrical huff and playfully tried to tug her hand away, but Inuyasha held firm, and even started to rub her wrist with his fingers. It caused little shivers to spread through her body.

 _Fuck_. She liked him.

“You have a deal. But… if my worst date is worse than your worst date, we continue our date at a place _I_ choose,” Kagome offered.

“Fine.” Inuyasha had still not let go of her hand. “But you go first.”

“His name was Chad… Chad Hojo.” Kagome closed her eyes and pictured the ugly polo shirt and the frosted tips that Hojo seemed to think made his light brown hair look ‘exotic’. “Took me out to a sushi restaurant. Made a _ton_ of comments about my weight, trying to keep me from ordering anything ‘heavy’... then… because I’m stupid and had had sake, I let him take me home. It was… bad.” Kagome sighed, remembering the jackhammering that nearly gave her a concussion. “The next day, dude sends me a _LinkedIn_ request and asks if I can put in a good word for him at Pixar. But… ‘he just wasn’t feeling the whole relationship thing.’ It took him _months_ to stop harassing me about that reference.”

“Did he… _force himself_...?” Inuyasha growled and his eyes turned dark. He didn’t need to finish his sentence for Kagome to get his meaning.

“No. Not at all. Just… bad decisions were made.” Kagome sighed. Sure, if she could get that particular night back, she would… but nothing _untoward_ happened. Just a night of bad sex and months of regrets. At least ‘Chad Hojo’ would _never_ be getting a job at Pixar. Kagome added, “Nothing like _that_ … has ever happened to me.”

“At least, that’s good.” Inuyasha mirrored her sigh, but Kagome could hear relief in it. “Now… be prepared to lose.” Inuyasha downed the rest of his beer in a gulp. ”Her name was Eri. Girl seemed to actually like me. We went out for drinks, then she… suggested we go somewhere else. We were kissing and all that so I thought what the hell. So we walk to this nondescript building…” Inuyasha tapped the empty mug, his eyes growing haunted. “We go in and… there are all these people lookin’ at me. Eri’s leading me toward the back and… then I realize where we are. Bitch had taken me to a _BDSM club_ and… I guess was plannin’ on having me… do _stuff_ to her… I… I tried to suggest we get outta there and she just kept sayin’, ‘but beast needs to punish the bad bunny!’ Took me… ten minutes to get away from her and away from that place.”

“Beast needs to punish the bad bunny? _Really_?” Kagome tried not to laugh. It was the worst line she thought she’d ever heard and… well. Inuyasha was tall and muscular and… _very attractive_ , but nothing about him, save for his surliness, really struck her as all that bestial. “I… Wow. Though, I think the bad sex and resume stalker wins.”

Inuyasha’s haunted gaze turned darker. It was… it didn’t make sense. Like there was some missing piece to why _that date_ and _that proposition_ caused Inuyasha so much pain.

Kagome downed the rest of her cider. “Were… were you unshaven or something that day?”

“Uh. Somethin’ like that.” Inuyasha didn’t make eye contact with her. He looked… withdrawn and angry. There was definitely pain deeper than he was letting on.

Kagome reached out and took Inuyasha’s hand. He jumped at the contact, then his shoulders relaxed and his eyes softened, and his fingers started stroking hers.

“Tell you what. No surprise venues.” Kagome smiled, relishing in the scratch of the pads of Inuyasha’s fingers. “We can call it a tie.” At Inuyasha’s nod, Kagome continued. ”What do you think about the Castro? I have… a friend… who _performs_ … and we could… go to his show.”

“The Castro. Performing friend.” Inuyasha lifted his eyes back to meet Kagome. “How come I feel like I know _exactly_ what you’re suggesting we do?”

“Come on! It’ll be fun!” Kagome poked him, and watched as his resistance started to crumble. “I’ve wanted to go for a long long time, and Jak is amazing.”

Kagome knew Jak through their mutual friend, Shiori. And while Kagome had never hung out individually with Jakotsu, she’d gone on a ton of camping trips with their friend group, so she’d spent time with Jakotsu and his boyfriend Bankotsu on many occasions.

“Switcheroo’d by cousins and now considering goin’ to a drag show…” Inuyasha exhaled, shaking his head. “You _really_ want to make tonight memorable, huh?”

“I’ll protect you,” Kagome purred, trying to contain the excited squeal that wanted to escape her. Inuyasha let out a breath that was half chuckle, and half growl. It… somehow made him more attractive. “And _yes_ , I _do_ want to make tonight memorable.”

“Keh.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “I’ll go pay.”

“No! I said _I_ would pay,” Kagome scolded.

“Keh. You can cover the tickets to the drag show.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes, then pointed at the water still on the table, “Drink that. And then…”

“To the Castro!” Kagome chirped. Hearing Inuyasha grumble as he turned and headed to the bar.

She couldn’t wait. She and Kikyo had talked about going to Jakotsu’s show. Kagome typed “Castro Theatre” into her phone and clicked through to the schedule and availability. The timing was perfect—Jakotsu’s show was at 11, and considering the 20min walk, the two would get there just before the show started.

Inuyasha returned, stuffing his wallet into his back pocket. Kagome scooched out of the booth, and after the two had scuttled out of the little bar, she took Inuyasha’s arm.

“You ready to keep this date going Inuyasha?” Kagome beamed. “The Castro awaits.”

Inuyasha burst out laughing, and Kagome didn’t miss him leaning against her, just a bit. He was warm.

Time would tell if this date became one of _her_ best dates, but… it was beginning to look like it might be.


	4. New Experiences

Inuyasha had almost told her, the moment that they were talking about their worst dates. It was on the tip of his tongue, remembering that fucking girl. He remembered the way that she grabbed his hands and tried to puncture her skin with his claws. He remembered her deliberately thrusting her tongue against his fang to see if she could get him to draw blood.

Why the _fuck_ had he kept that goddamn date going?

He knew why. He was lonely. Eri seemed to actually like his _otherness_. She squealed at his ears and her scent took on an edge of arousal when she looked at him. He thought he’d found someone who liked him for him. It was… fucking _amazing_.

But then she took him to that fucking club. To get him to “punish her” because he was a “beast.”

He wasn’t sure, but the way that Kagome had looked at him after he shared it… he thought— _hoped—_ that it meant she… she read his hurt.

That was probably why he said okay to the drag show. Because even only knowing Kagome for the last couple of hours, trapped in his human form, without being able to smell her, he… he _liked_ her. In that way that gave him fucking _hope_.

It was nauseating.

But… there was no fucking way he could fall for her over the course of a single evening. It made it safe. To explore. To talk. To flirt. And even to touch (and goddamn, when they touched, it sent jolts of electricity through his body).

“So you know someone in the show?” Inuyasha spoke up as they walked toward the Castro. It was a typical September night: cool, without fog.

“Yeah! Jakotsu is one of the stars,” Kagome chuckled, squeezing his arm with her delicate hand.

“Star, huh?” Inuyasha mused, but more he wanted to know how Kagome was friends with the star of a drag show. “How did you meet this Jakotsu?”

Jakotsu was probably gay, but that did not seem to make Inuyasha any less… territorial. Was he seriously territorial already..?

“Oh! Jakotsu and his boyfriend are good friends with one of my best friends.” Kagome’s smile lit the night. “So… we met through Shiori. Probably a bar crawl. Maybe… maybe a camping trip?” Kagome then chuckled to herself. Inuyasha stayed quiet, willing her to continue. “Shiori—oh man, I wish you could meet her. She’s _amazing_! I met her in college. We were roommates. She’s this… savant composer. Pixar hired her right after graduation. I half believe they would’ve done it before if she hadn’t insisted on finishing her degree.”

“This Shiori sounds pretty cool,” Inuyasha replied. Hoping Kagome would keep talking.

“She _is_. Her… her life was pretty tough.” Kagome sighed. “I guess… she was so used to people being assholes to her that she just… she really gives everything to her friends. She… she was the reason I got the Pixar interview.”

“Doesn’t sound like someone people would be an asshole to,” Inuyasha snorted. The little flinch that came over Kagome made him wish he could take back his words.

“People are assholes to anyone who is _different_ ,” Kagome growled. “So it didn’t matter that Shiori had hearing that meant we _never_ worried about walking home late at night. It didn’t matter that Shiori could beat the shit out of almost any guy who got too handsy, or immediately tell me if someone tried something with my drink. All that mattered was…” Kagome’s eyes grew wide as she scowled, then her voice took a mocking tone. “Ohhh she’s a _halfffff-demonnnnnn_. Like that shit matters.” Kagome stopped suddenly, her eyes full of rage. “You know what I say? Fuck them. Shiori is one of the most talented people I know, she deserves _everything_ that comes to her! Also? Shiori didn’t just bend over backwards to get me an in at Pixar; she introduced me to her _amazing_ art friends when she found out I wanted to be an artist back in college. Shiori saved my _ass_ more times than I can count from the gross dudes who go after stupid college girls.”

It was a good thing that Kagome had stopped their stroll, because Inuyasha would have tripped over his feet hearing her admission. Kagome’s best friend was a _half-demon_.

Without knowing _anything_ about Inuyasha, Kagome had just told him something that meant _everything_ to him.

“She really does sound fucking _amazing,_ ” were the only words that Inuyasha managed to say. Because if he kept talking, he was afraid he would tell her everything. And probably ask her to marry him or some shit, because the way Kagome reacted to the half-demon haters was enough to tell Inuyasha that no matter what, she was someone he wanted _in his life as permanently as possible_.

“Damn straight she is!” Kagome huffed, and Inuyasha tempered the belly laugh that wanted to escape him into a little chuckle. “Good to know… that you’re one of the good ones.”

“Yeah well... “ Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head with the hand that was not currently being used to escort Kagome. “I uh… have some familiarity with half-demons too.”

“Oh yeah?” Kagome narrowed her eyes again, and _fuck_ if he didn’t feel like he was getting X-rayed by those chocolate orbs. “What… what does that mean?”

“Uh…” _Shit_. Inuyasha hadn’t thought that far ahead. He tried to decide if he should bring up Jinenji, the horse half-demon who he knew from school, the one member of the Half-Demon Honor Society that he actually still kept in touch with. It was _true_ , but it felt like it would obscure something really important. “I… I promise to tell you more about it after sunrise.”

Kagome’s eyes grew even narrower. “That’s a weird answer.”

“Yeah, I know.” Inuyasha looked away from Kagome’s scrutinizing look. “It’ll make sense.”

“At sunrise,” Kagome deadpanned.

“Yeah.” Inuyasha nodded. It sure as fuck _would_ make sense at sunrise. He had started planning it out. He knew where he wanted to take her. It was secluded, but not so secluded as to feel dangerous. And he’d just… let her watch his yōki stir.

“Okay then _I-nu-ya-sha_ … how about this one. How did you start working at Miroku’s startup?” Kagome’s eyes were still narrow, and Inuyasha knew that if he still had his demon senses, he’d probably be able to smell suspicion in her scent. But he was also extremely grateful that she let the conversation move on.

“Well… Got my degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford. And… I met Miroku at a recruiting fair.” Inuyasha remembered the indigo-eyed man, now his friend, and how he seemed to practically fall over himself to talk to Inuyasha… which was… rare. Apparently they’d wanted to recruit a more diverse workforce… “I interviewed and they offered me a job. I said yes.”

“No… no multiple interviews? Did you not shop around?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha observed her eyes softening. Whatever suspicion she was feeling over his half-demon caginess was at least not dictating her mood.

“Nah. Not my style. I liked what they were doin’, I liked the job they offered me, and… the paycheck was the right size.” Inuyasha tried to be as honest as possible, without also saying, _they also had demons on staff, and didn’t make me feel like a token_. “Anyway… what about you? What got you interested in art? How do you like Pixar?”

“I actually got a degree in Communications from Berkeley. I did the art stuff on the side. Shiori always joked that she would never need to buy those stupid posters for our apartment. She’d just ask me and I’d whip something up.” Kagome chuckled. “Shiori pushed for me so hard that they finally just… gave me the courtesy interview. And… I guess they liked the way I answered the questions. I… I love it there. Good food, interesting coworkers, and… you can’t say no to the commute.”

“Oh yeah? So you must be in East Bay.” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

“Oakland.” Kagome answered, a smile on her face. “It’s _way more affordable_ than ‘the City.’ And I wanted my own place.”

So, Kagome didn’t have roommates… Inuyasha probably should’ve tried to look less interested in that information, but _shit_ , he liked her before the half-demon stuff and now… well… his brain was going all _sorts_ of creative places.

But before his thoughts wandered too _creatively_ , he saw their destination. The CASTRO sign was bright enough to see from down the street, and Inuyasha could make out the marquee on the awning that fanned out from the ornate white building. There was a line that snaked down the street, full of slightly drunk and enthusiastic revelers. Inuyasha shuddered.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. And… I prepaid, so we can skip the line.” Kagome squeezed Inuyasha’s arm assuringly. “If you hate it, we’ll leave. Have… have you ever been to a drag show before?”

“No,” Inuyasha admitted. “Wait… It’s… it’s a movie theater?”

“Yeah—the Castro _Theatre_ ,” Kagome chuckled. “Come on. This is a really really good first drag show.”

He’d never even entertained the _notion_ of going to a drag show before, because he couldn’t shrink into the background in a place like that. Because half-demons always drew notice, even when they didn’t want to. _Tonight_ … was perfect. He’d never thought about it before, but going in as a human, he would still draw attention, but… he had Kagome. And she said she would protect him.

As Kagome pulled them both closer to the door, Inuyasha found himself tensing, trying to bring Kagome closer to him in turn. _Fuck,_ it sucked being without his goddamned sense of smell. He hadn’t realized how much he’d come to depend on its cues. Usually on human nights, he hunkered down at home, drank a ton of alcohol and flopped into bed. This one was the exception. Because he’d promised Miroku. But also because… because he _needed_ to get to know _Kagome_ , the woman he wasn’t even supposed to be on a date with.

Kagome released his arm, then immediately grabbed his hand. She walked up to the bouncer and flashed her phone, which he quickly swiped and let the pair in. As Kagome dragged him toward the front, Inuyasha took the place in. The Baroque room gave off its own red glow, with a dark wood carved ceiling that made the large space feel smaller. He saw the famous organs standing sentry on opposite sides of the stage and… he smiled. He was… _happy_ to be there. _Happy_ to get to experience something new in the disguise of a human. _Happy_ that Kagome gave him this opportunity.

“You got these tickets last minute?” Inuyasha tried to sound skeptical, tried to sound annoyed, but… he could tell from Kagome’s answering smile that he failed. She could tell that he was enjoying himself.

“Jakotsu once gave me a special code. I pay the same, but it gives me really good seats,” Kagome answered, and she finally found the row and the seats they were to take. They weren’t in the _front_ row, but, well… they were close enough that if Inuyasha had his demon senses, he’d be able to see the glue that glued on the Drag Queens’ fake eyelashes.

“I… I thought that they usually just lip-synched to Madonna or some shit,” Inuyasha whispered to Kagome, who rolled her eyes then giggled.

“Oh Inuyasha. This is not your everyday drag show.” Kagome leaned against him. “Have you ever seen _Death Becomes Her_?”

Inuyasha shook his head.

“This is a parody of that movie,” Kagome whispered. “Jak plays Helen. Just… watch.”

Kagome took Inuyasha’s hand as the lights started to go down in the gallery and the lights began to rise on the stage.

Whatever Inuyasha was expecting, the show was more. If he thought that he’d scoff and judge the men dressed as women, he was wrong. Their acting drew him in: both a very obvious parody, but also uncannily feminine. Who the fuck would think that their caked on makeup was goddamned art?

Jakotsu wore a wig that looked like a Barbie doll, and he had two weird triangle trails of purplish blue eyeliner that ran down his cheeks. Soon though, Inuyasha wasn’t paying attention to the makeup or the parody. He was experiencing the narrative, laughing harder than he’d laughed in a long time and howling and jeering along with the crowd as the cast invited audience participation. He snuck glances over at Kagome and saw she was laughing and smiling too, having never let go of his hand.

When the cast took their bows, and whoops and claps started from the audience, Inuyasha joined in. He’d been swept up in the moment of not only what he’d just witnessed, but everything else too.

His first fucking drag show. On a human night. With Kagome Higurashi, whose best friend was a half-demon and whose personality was full of fire and— _god help him—_ who had the looks and body out of every one of his goddamned fantasies.

“Hey…” Kagome nudged Inuyasha out of his thoughts. “Jak just texted me back and said we can come say hi. Want to?”

“Y-Yeah…” Inuyasha hated meeting people, but he wanted to meet Jakotsu. Because he wanted to meet another person who was best friends with Shiori, a _half-demon._ Someone who was Kagome’s friend.

“Did… did you like it?” Kagome asked surprisingly shyly.

“Fuck yeah, I did,” Inuyasha answered. It was the truth.

Kagome squealed a little bit then grabbed Inuyasha by the hand, tugging him toward the stage. He had stopped resisting her pull a while ago, and followed behind her without so much as a hesitant jerk. Kagome led him through a couple of corridors until he heard it: raucous laughter from the musical voice of ‘Helen.’

“I _swear_ I’m losing my natural hair because of the goddamn spirit gum on this thing!” it called, causing Kagome to laugh.

“We wouldn’t want that Jak!” Kagome called down the hallway. As her voice echoed, a head popped out of one of the dressing rooms, eyes wide and searching, like a human meerkat. Now that Inuyasha could see the person beneath the costume and the make-up, he realized that Jakotsu was nearly as built as he was (that was probably also because he was shirtless and still squeezed into pantyhose). His eyes were naturally dark brown, and he had a pointed face with a round jaw and a prominent chin. His hair was dark black, and combed back with hair gel and hair clips. 

“Kaggie!” the man squealed and came trouncing out of the dressing room. “You did _not_ tell me you’d come to this show! I would’ve made sure I was more drunk on stage!” Jakotsu scuttled up to Kagome, still wearing the sky-high sparkling black high heels of the show, giving her a peck on the cheek. Then his eyes seized on Inuyasha. “Who’s this tall drink of water?”

“I-Inuyasha.” Inuyasha reached out his hand, which Jakotsu took. “Inuyasha Taisho.”

“Are you on a _date_ with my baby girl?” Jakotsu backed up, and made a point to look Inuyasha’s body up and down. It made Inuyasha uncomfortable, but… this type of ogling was a whole hell of a lot better than the usual stares he got. The difference made him shudder, knowing what would happen at sunrise.

“Yep—and _you_ my dear were his first drag show!” Kagome beamed, squeezing Inuyasha’s hand. He’d totally forgotten that she was still holding it.

“You _know_ I love popping people’s drag cherries,” Jakotsu smirked. “So… what did you think? _Inuyasha Taisho_?”

“Fucking _fantastic._ ” Inuyasha felt his lips curling into a smile as he said it. Sure, half of the reason it was so enjoyable was because of Kagome, but he didn’t need to say that.

Jakotsu and Kagome shared a little squeal, then seemed to both collect themselves, and turn back to Inuyasha.

“I aim to entertain, darling.” Jakotsu took a theatrical bow. “ _And_ unfortunately, I need to get going. Bank is probably already huffing around the afterparty waiting for me. But… bonfire barbecue Kaggie?... Next Friday.” Jakotsu took Kagome’s unoccupied hand and pressed a little kiss to it, then turned back to Inuyasha and winked. “Bring the hunk.”

Kagome giggled and blushed, then squeezed Inuyasha’s hand again, before waving a goodbye to a quickly receding Jakotsu.

 _Fuck_. Every moment with her, every additional glimpse into who she was (be it the bad date, the half-demon best friend, the friendship with Jakotsu), every instant feeling the touch of her skin, was making sunrise both too soon and not soon enough. Inuyasha closed his eyes and thought about the night, and specifically, how he could make the most of his time with this woman who already had made this one of the best human nights of his life.

“So… what’s next?” Kagome squeezed into Inuyasha’s side as the two exited the theater and headed back into the San Francisco night.

“I got some ideas.” Inuyasha smiled down at Kagome, throwing his arm around her and pulling her to his body. “You ready?”

“Hell yes!” Kagome whooped into the night, and let Inuyasha lead her away from the bright lights and laughter of the Castro, completely trusting that she was safe with him, safe to go wherever he was leading her.

Holding her to him, Inuyasha was left simply to hope that she was enjoying the night half as much as he was.


	5. The Witching Hour

He was warm. And she fit in the crook of his arm as if she was meant to be there. But it was too early to think about that. He smiled genuinely and his laugh was booming, and every time something in “Drag Becomes Her” got his attention, he squeezed her hand, a habit of his that made Kagome picture movie nights snuggled up with him and seeing what elicited the little squeeze. But it was too early to think about that too.

Or _was it_ too early to think about that?  
Kagome let out a little sigh.

“Everything okay?” Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, slowing their pace slightly.

“Yep,” Kagome smiled. “Just thinking about stuff.”

“Good stuff?” Inuyasha’s eyes were still drilling into her.

“Dunno yet,” Kagome answered, the little light of hope fluttering through her heart.

Liking Inuyasha was dangerous.  
Because men did not normally leave Kagome feeling much other than disappointed. Inuyasha’s insistence on an all-night date was novel, and she felt safe, _protected_. As if nothing bad could happen if Inuyasha was there with her. It was a strangely focused instinct.

“So where are we going?” Kagome diverted her eyes back in front of her, paying attention as they turned a corner and veered north.

“I was thinkin’ the park,” Inuyasha answered, still holding her tightly against him. “But first… supplies.”

Kagome tensed at Inuyasha’s words. Supplies? For a walk?

Or did Inuyasha have _other plans_ for what they would do at sunrise?  
Why did that make Kagome’s breath catch?  
Sex was not part of the deal.  
It wasn’t.  
Well… certainly not in public, anyway.

“O-OH. Oh… shit. Nothin’ like that. Just… if we’re walkin’ and all that, figured food and water might be nice,” Inuyasha stuttered, his eyes slightly bugged out of his head, recognizing the _suggestiveness_ of his words.

“ _Just_ food and water?” Kagome laughed, relaxing back against Inuyasha’s side. “I didn’t take you for an exhibitionist, and… well… I-I’m definitely _not_ one.” Kagome almost left her comments there, but for some reason she felt compelled to… continue. “Privacy of my own apartment, thank-you-very-much. The bed is there for a _reason_...”

“Bed… huh?” Inuyasha’s raised eyebrow caused Kagome to blush a little.

 _Shit._ She couldn’t help thinking about it. She thought about his tall form pressing her into the bed. She thought about his lips kissing down her body, maybe throwing in a playful nip here and there. She thought…

It was _way too early_ to think about that.  
Wasn’t it?

“Dirty mind,” Kagome accused, poking her finger into Inuyasha’s chest. His _rock hard_ chest.

“Wh-what?!? _You_ were the one who brought up your bed when all I said was _supplies!_ ” Inuyasha sputtered, eyes wide, and a blush radiating out from the crest of his nose. It somehow made him look more attractive. “If anyone has a dirty mind, it’s _you._ ”

Kagome let out a laugh so hard she squawked, feeling something come free in her chest. Men who were only out to get into her pants or into her LinkedIn contact list definitely did not start blushing at the thought of sleeping with her. How was it that Inuyasha, who really truly looked like he was sculpted on Mount Olympus, was so shy? He seemed far more focused on getting her to watch the sunrise with him than well… than taking her home.

It might’ve been too early to picture the other, longer-term, stuff. But was it too early to picture what he’d be like in bed? What would he feel like when he was really excited? Would he be shy or confident when he took her home? Was he generous to his partners, or did his looks mean he would expect her to do all the work?

 _Fuck._ It had been a long time. Maybe, if the date kept going the way it was going, _maybe_ , when sunrise hit and Inuyasha showed her that mystery thing he was so interested in her seeing, she’d… invite him back to her place. _Maybe._

“Agree to disagree,” Kagome purred, “Dirty mind…”

Inuyasha made to retort, but stopped when he looked into Kagome's eyes, gifting her a little smile. He looked… sad.

It was odd. So many little moments where Kagome knew she was missing something incredibly important. There was some hurt that Inuyasha laid bare in his expressions, but he seemed to be terrified to say anything about. She… she was still puzzling over his response to her conversation about Shiori. Why did he want to wait until sunrise to talk to her about demons and half-demons? It wasn’t like anything changed by the light of day, but… he was so _insistent_.

“Hey.” Kagome nudged Inuyasha. “What’s so special about sunrise?”  
She couldn’t help herself.

“Uh. Well…” Inuyasha’s bug-eyed look came back. “You… you ever see the sunrise after staying up all night?”

“I mean… yes?” Kagome had certainly _seen_ the sunrise. Either near a deadline at work or after a particularly raucous night out. It usually did not bode well for the following day.

“It’s… it’s telling you that you made it through the night. It’s like the sky singing ‘Ave Maria’ to you,” Inuyasha mused. “Things feel different in the daylight.”

Kagome closed her eyes and heard the soaring arias in her head; she thought about the orange and gold peeking over the horizon, tickling her with its tentative light. It was… beautiful. _Ethereal._

“Holy shit,” Kagome whispered. “I… I have _never_ thought of a sunrise like that.”

Inuyasha had a strange way of looking at the world, a way that she wanted to know more about. A way… she hoped he’d share with her a _lot_. And maybe, _just maybe_ , she should stop telling herself it was too early to think about it.

“I… I am happy I get to see a sunrise with you,” Kagome muttered.

“I… I’m happy too,” Inuyasha muttered in answer, leaning his ear closer to Kagome’s mouth.

Their stroll came to a stop in front of a little bodega-style shop. Inuyasha ushered them both in. He grabbed two large bottles of water, two packages of chocolate peanut butter cups, and a large bag of chips.

“Not the healthiest of food…” Kagome giggled. Inuyasha merely scoffed, and paid for their wares.

“It’s too bad that healthy and delicious are never the same damn food,” Inuyasha chuckled, taking the plastic bag of the bodega in one hand and Kagome’s in the other.

“Are you serious? Hummus is the ambrosia of the gods _and_ healthy,” Kagome mockingly gasped. She didn’t miss Inuyasha scrunching up his nose at the mention of it.

“You serious? _Hummus_? Tastes like dog piss!” Inuyasha stuck his tongue out, as if someone had slathered hummus onto it and he was trying to escape the taste. “You… _eat that stuff?_ ”

“I’m starting to think that you hate any food that tastes delicious!” Kagome teased, swinging their joined hands a little harder. “Curry, that _amazing_ ice cream, and now hummus? Is there anything you _do_ like?”

“I like ramen. And _junk food_ ,” Inuyasha answered mockingly, rubbing his thumb against the heel of her hand as he spoke.

“Ramen you say? The instant stuff or the good stuff?” Kagome retorted, trying not to shudder under Inuyasha’s ministrations.

His touch felt good.

“Both. And not to brag, but I make a _mean_ ramen,” Inuyasha chuckled. “Maybe…” Inuyasha trailed off, and the hand holding Kagome’s went slack.

“So, what will you give me if it _isn’t_ the meanest ramen I’ve ever eaten?” Kagome teased, not wanting to give up on that moment, squeezing Inuyasha’s limp hand. “Because… I’d love to taste your ramen.”

“You say that now…” Inuyasha sighed, but his hand re-tightened its grip. “And maybe… if you want to after the sunrise… then… yeah. I’ll do it.”

Inuyasha’s strange fixation with sunrise was becoming fascinating. But all Kagome had to do was wait. Pressing him with her insatiable curiosity was _not_ going to make answers come any sooner. She was not the best at waiting, but… she could wait for sunrise.

“Where are we headed next? No surprises, remember?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha smiled down at Kagome, then pointed his bagged hand toward the west. “Care for a walk in the park?”

“A witching hour stroll through Golden Gate Park, huh?” Kagome leaned in a little bit, her eyes locked on Inuyasha’s. “Promise to protect me from all the roving hooligans?”

Inuyasha’s eyes changed so quickly, Kagome almost missed it. His arms came around her body so fast, she had to catch her breath. He hugged her with such fervor Kagome had to catch herself. How long had it been since he was hugged? Because the way that his arms went around her, that his body pressed to her, was that of a drowning man finally breaking the surface and breathing the fresh air. She could feel his nose pressed against her hair and heard him take a deep breath.

“I-Inuyasha?” It wasn't that she minded the hug, but… it was unexpected. _Good_ unexpected, but also _abrupt_ unexpected.

“I _will_ protect you,” was all Inuyasha said in response, his voice labored, holding back whatever emotions threatened him.

Kagome leaned into the hug, letting him hold her. She felt great in his arms, like she was molded to fit in them. Not only that, but she could smell _him_. He smelled of sandalwood and fresh rain, _intoxicating_. Pressed against her, Kagome felt how built he was, from the hard curves of his pecs to the peaks and crests of his abs. It was not doing her any favors.

Here she was, having this beautiful moment with her date, picturing him naked.  
A few hours into meeting him.

Alright, fine; they had already been a really fun few hours. She’d swapped dates with Kikyo, managed to convince the grouch that she had _wanted_ to swap, eaten spicy ice cream with him, gone to a dive bar with him, decided to stay up the entire night, gone to a drag show, and he’d already met one of her good friends.

Not exactly a typical first date.

“ _Fuck_ , I just want it to be sunrise _right now,_ ” Inuyasha whined, his voice now holding a raspy edge that set Kagome’s nerves on fire.

“If you keep teasing me with this mystery I am never gonna let you hear the end of it!” Kagome whispered, then gently pushed out of the hug. Inuyasha let her go, reluctantly.

Kagome walked in front of him, then extended her hand for him to take. “Come on. Time goes by faster with a brisk walk and lively conversation.”

It was enough to break the moment. Enough to make a smile appear on Inuyasha’s face, enough even to make him laugh.

“You’re gonna make me walk through the flower gardens aren’t ya?” Inuyasha ribbed, ghosting his thumb once again over her wrist, then with a single tug pulled her back into his body, throwing his arm around her.

“Are you seriously a _flower hater too_?” Kagome scoffed, pinching Inuyasha’s arm playfully.

“Most of the time, yeah.” Kagome could feel Inuyasha’s chuckle reverberate through him, but then he looked softly at her. “But… not tonight.”

They walked like that into the park, their laughter waking up the somber greenery. Kagome found out that Inuyasha’s parents had both passed away, and that he had a half-brother. She learned that he didn’t do many professional sports, but loved going trail running and hiking. She told Inuyasha about her mom and brother, and how their dad had died when she was still a teenager. They talked about campus life and teased each other about the Cal/Stanford rivalry (neither were big sports fans).

“Isn’t it blasphemy for someone from Stanford to date someone from Cal?” Kagome jabbed, causing Inuyasha’s now easy-laugh to come through. They’d made it to the botanical gardens, taking care not to trample anything, and keeping an eye out for security guards (it was public and open all night, so was it _really_ sneaking in?)

“Guess I can forgive ya for that sin. You work for Pixar, after all.” Inuyasha turned his eyes to Kagome, and even in the dead of night she could tell that they were sparkling.

“If you hand me your resume Inuyasha Taisho, so _help me god_ …” Kagome balled her hand into a fist, which only made Inuyasha laugh.

“I got no plans of movin’ jobs,” Inuyasha chuckled, wrapping his hand around Kagome’s fist easily. “Only thing I know at this point about Pixar is they employ cute girls and half-demons.”

“Shiori is _both_ ,” Kagome agreed, giggling at Inuyasha’s answering huff. “Miroku’s said that your startup is also a pretty diverse place to work.”

“Yeah, it is.” Inuyasha scratched the back of his head with his free arm. “It’s why I committed to them.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Kagome beamed, still holding Inuyasha, but also leaning down to smell another flower—a rose.

Inuyasha was an enigma. He fixated on half-demons, which was _odd_. Kagome had been amazed to watch Inuyasha’s face change as she talked (well, okay… _ranted_ ) about Shiori. It was clear even from just his body language that something about her affection for Shiori moved him, which moved her. She hadn’t figured it out yet. Maybe…

“Tell me about your half-brother.” Kagome said. Maybe that was the answer?

“Not much to tell. Kind of a dickhead but… he watches out for me.” Inuyasha shrugged. “Kept me from doin’ stupid stuff when my mom died.”

Kagome nuzzled Inuyasha’s shoulder at his admission, trying to give him some little semblance of comfort. It felt… natural to do. To comfort him like that. And it felt… _good_ to do. That Inuyasha leaned his head to meet hers made her heart flutter.

“I’m so sorry Inuyasha,” she whispered into his hair. “Losing both parents so young must’ve been tough.”

“Yeah.” Inuyasha turned his face so his nose was nestled in her hair. “Still a bit fucked up about it. But… well… yeah. Sesshomaru at least kept me fed and clothed and goin’ to school.”

“How young were you?” Kagome asked.

“10,” Inuyasha answered, his breath tickling Kagome’s hair.

“I was 13 when it happened to my dad,” Kagome said, remembering that awful day, that awful phone call. The way the world faded to gray for months after it happened. “Car accident. My grandfather moved in after that. It’s why I’m so close to my cousin. We saw so much of her and Aunt Kaede after...”

“Damn,” Inuyasha laughed darkly. “First date and we’re talkin’ about dead parents.”

“I don’t think there’s really ever an ideal time to talk about dead parents though, is there?” Kagome answered, “We got it out of the way early.”

“Guess that’s true,” Inuyasha sighed. “Nothin’ like beer and sleep deprivation to shake all the skeletons out of the closet.”

Kagome laughed a little bit. She tried to remember the last guy she’d been with that she felt… _comfortable_ enough with to talk about her dad. She’d been casually dating so long… it was probably all the way back with her ex-boyfriend Koga. Two years prior.

Had it really been that long?

Koga had been a whirlwind of a relationship. He was a wolf-demon who she met in college, and they’d fallen fast and hard. Honestly? If he hadn’t moved to Japan to be closer to his family, they might still be together. The breakup had been devastating. Was that… was that why Kagome had been so closed off? Had she been seeking _out_ bad dates because shallow tech bros were a quick fuck and duck? Because, when she thought about the way that her time with Koga ended, it twisted her heart?

Why the hell was she thinking about Koga now, on the first good date she’d had… maybe even _since_ Koga moved away?

 _Because you already have serious feelings for Inuyasha_ , the little voice in her head sang. Feelings that she had not had for a long time. _Genuine_ feelings. Future feelings. _Relationship_ feelings.

“So… dunno if you’d be interested, but I figured we could walk down to Ocean Beach and eat the stuff I got?” Inuyasha shook the plastic bag in his hand, pulling her out of her contemplation.

“How could I turn down an invitation like that?” Kagome laughed, relishing in the warmth of Inuyasha’s arm around her. “A _gourmet_ meal on the beach?”

With a sigh and a chuckle, Inuyasha picked up the pace, and they wound their way out of the botanical gardens and back onto one of the pathways, their destination now known. Inuyasha’s arm never left her shoulders as they strolled. They talked about anything and everything: Inuyasha’s apartment in SoMa and how absurd it was that people called San Francisco “the City.” They talked about the last time they’d stayed up all night (work-related, for both of them) and how the best meal of the day was breakfast.

“Seriously, though, how can you tell me that ‘the City’ is any better than East Bay?” Kagome mocked. “Same good food. Less fog. Cheaper rent.”

“Keh,” Inuyasha scoffed. “But how often do you zip over to this side to do things? No Castro Theatres in Oakland!”

“Maybe if city dwellers made the trek, they’d _see_ how great it is!” Kagome snorted.

“I’ve just never had a _reason_ to go to East Bay,” Inuyasha argued back, “Maybe if I had a good _reason_ …”

Inuyasha stopped what he was saying abruptly, and she could feel him flinch. It was… sort of adorable. Did Inuyasha think that Kagome just willy-nilly agreed to wander San Francisco late at night with first date strangers?

“Well… hmm… good reasons good reasons…” Kagome tapped her lip, smiling and avoiding rolling her eyes at how taut the muscles in Inuyasha’s arm had gone. “I am _sure_ we can think of something.”

“Talk to me about it again after sunrise,” Inuyasha answered. Some of the playfulness was out of his voice, replaced by some strange yearning, but as soon as the moment came it was gone, with nothing more than a labored exhalation and a squeeze to her shoulder.

Kagome looked up at the sky. The lights of San Francisco had certainly taken their toll, but she could still see the Big and Little Dipper.

“East Bay is also closer to the Sierras,” Kagome mused, thinking about those nights around campfires with Shiori and friends. “I… I love going out late at night while camping and just… looking up.”

“More stars,” Inuyasha said simply. “I… I really like goin’ camping too. Backpacking. Just me, nature, and my pack on my back.”

“Have you ever been to Lassen?” Kagome asked. She was… well, she was definitely _picturing_ what it would be like laying on the ground, snuggled in next to him, looking up at the stars from her favorite place in the world.

“Tons o’ times,” Inuyasha chuckled. “I’ve done the sunrise peak hike. Nothin’ like a sunrise from the crest of the volcano.”

“Shiori was planning a big trip out there. We do about one of these big trips a year. I… I’d bring my camera,” Kagome said. But her mind was on Inuyasha’s arm around her as they turned to the east to welcome the sun.

“Well, uh. You should watch the sunrise from up the cinder cone,” Inuyasha mumbled. “Nothin’ like it.”

“Maybe I will…” Kagome said, took a breath, then continued: “Sounds dangerous. Almost like I should go with an _experienced guide._ You know anyone Inuyasha?”

“Y-yeah… I suppose I do.” Kagome didn’t miss the way Inuyasha’s arm slid a little further down to her torso, and pulled her in just a little bit closer to him.

The rest of the walk through the park felt closer. Kagome and Inuyasha’s conversation turned almost exclusively to nature, to their favorite places (Yosemite was high on both their lists), to hidden gems that few others knew about (Bumpass’ Hell in Lassen, for instance), to plans to visit Lake Tahoe before the weather become too cold. The way Inuyasha talked about nature seemed as though to him, being in nature was his paradise. He talked about the smell of pines hitting his nose on the highway, and the way that water sounded in the stillest ponds. He talked about listening to the trees rustle as a breeze wended its way through them, and the different colors of grass that even a plain meadow could have. It was as if… as if Inuyasha experienced nature at a worshipful level, a level that now Kagome desperately hoped she would get to experience.

Ideally with him.

Before she knew it, she _heard_ their destination. Still faint but faithful, the roar of ocean waves whispered in her ears. The sky was still an inky black, sprinkled with only the brightest stars. And for some reason, despite being still very much in the density of San Francisco, Kagome felt like she was walking away from it all, into nature, with Inuyasha.

They crossed the road and made their way through the parking lot, the roaring of the ocean growing louder and more distinct. Before she knew it, Kagome could hear the individual waves crashing against the beach. Once the hard pavement gave way to soft sand, Kagome stopped, halting Inuyasha in kind. She reached down to her feet, removing both her shoes and her socks, and let her feet sink into the cold but squishy sand, wiggling her toes in delight.

“Did I tell you I also love the ocean?” Kagome chuckled, not paying attention to the fact that the sand was numbing her toes. “I’m gonna go dip my feet in.”

As Kagome said it, she gave Inuyasha a wink and ran toward the shore.

“You crazy woman?” Inuyasha chased after her. “It’s fucking frigid. You’re gonna freeze!”

Kagome rolled her eyes and approached the waiting water. She walked close enough that the next crashing wave pressed up and lapped against her feet, biting them.

 _Fuck,_ the water was cold!

Kagome yelped, and jumped backward, feeling her feet catch underneath her. But instead of tumbling into the waiting sand, two strong arms steadied her.

“You idiot. You’re a damn calamity waiting to happen!” Inuyasha’s arms were around Kagome’s torso, his voice was a rasp in her ear, and her back was flush against his chest.

He felt… well goddamn, he felt amazing. Kagome let her mind linger more and more on his body. His hard, muscular, but also somehow soft and pliant body. His tall, lean, hard, muscular…

Yep, she was definitely letting her mind go there. He was attractive even with his scowl, but absolutely lit up a room when he smiled. His voice was deep and sexy when he was making snide remarks, but it filled with something musical and alluring when he laughed. His body was already attractive when it was hunched over with crossed arms, but it was goddamned _intoxicating_ when it was pressed up against hers protectively.

It was settled. After sunrise, she would try to get him to come home with her.

“Looks like you caught me.” Kagome said, wondering if he appreciated her double-meaning. She then pulled herself away, and turned to face his soulful violet eyes. “My knight in grumpy armor.”

“Keh.” Inuyasha’s scoff was so quickly overtaken by a bright smile that it did nothing except further highlight the happiness on his face. “Come on klutz, there’s a nice spot over there where we can sit and eat the… _gourmet_ I got us.”

Kagome laughed as Inuyasha shook the plastic bag, and let him lead her off toward the northern parts of Ocean Beach. Inuyasha found a log and the two sat down, where Kagome took the bottle of water out as well as the candy.

“Did you just steal _all the chocolate_?” Inuyasha gasped dramatically. “ _Wench_!”

“I left you the chips!” Kagome giggled, popping an entire peanut butter cup in her mouth.

“What are you gonna do to make it up to me?” Inuyasha purred, his arm roping around her torso in a way that made Kagome’s heart skip. “After all, that peanut butter cup cost an _entire_ $2.39!”

“I guess that… I’ll just have to…” Kagome was about to say ‘buy you more chocolate’, but she stopped. She had a better idea. “ _Bake_ you peanut butter-chocolate brownies.”

“Oh really?” Inuyasha’s arm pulled Kagome closer to him, and she leaned ever closer. “That is either a good bargain or a rip-off. Depends on your baking skills.”

“Oh… I have mad skills,” Kagome purred right back, her eyes boring into Inuyasha’s eyes, then flicking down to his full lips. “Worth at _least_ $3.”

Inuyasha barked out a laugh so raucous that it competed with the roar of the ocean. “Bloody hell Kagome. You… _shit_ … well.”

Kagome chomped down on the next peanut butter cup. Her stomach grumbled its approval at the food. Kagome then opened the second package of chocolate. She pulled one of the cups out of its wrapper and held it up between herself and Inuyasha. She then slowly, coyly brought the cup directly into contact with Inuyasha’s lips, watching the way his lips curled into a little “o”, realizing what she was doing. Before she could finish her task, Inuyasha’s mouth snapped open and his tongue and teeth wrestled the peanut butter cup out of her hand. It was gone in a single bite.

“If you were a gator I would be missing a hand,” Kagome mock-shrieked, then stuffed the second peanut butter cup into her mouth before Inuyasha could offer her an encore performance.

That his tongue looked long and nimble, and was playful as it curled around the candy she’d held out for him... Kagome couldn’t get out of her mind the images that it evoked. The sensations that his tongue was probably capable of. And unfortunately, the devilish smirk on Inuyasha’s face was enough to tell her that he _knew_ exactly what she was thinking about. She… damn. She really wanted to kiss him.

Because of his tongue? Certainly. But… more. Because his laugh could light up the night. Because he could give as good as he got, and seemed to live for banter (like she did). Because… because it was starting to feel like this was _something_. Something she desperately hoped wouldn’t end at the sunrise. Inuyasha’s fixation on it still didn’t make sense, but she was no more than an hour from finding out his meaning.

“Kagome…” Inuyasha’s voice was deep, just audible over the songs of the ocean.

Kagome hadn’t realized that in her contemplation she had not stopped looking at Inuyasha’s lips. Kagome hadn’t realized either that the look of longing, of _something,_ was reflected in Inuyasha’s eyes too. That… their faces had leaned so close, so very close to each other, so close that Kagome could feel Inuyasha’s breath intermingle with hers. He smelled like sandalwood, and his breath carried the fragrance of chocolate and peanut butter candy that she’d fed him.

He… he would _taste_ of chocolate and peanut butter.

Kagome leaned closer still, and let the lids of her eyes droop. Soon her nose brushed Inuyasha’s, until finally her lips found his. They were soft and pliant, and they moved in congress with hers. Inuyasha’s hand came up and gently touched Kagome’s cheek, before finding its way into her hair. When Kagome opened her mouth, Inuyasha followed suit and soon, Kagome’s tongue met his. And as she explored his mouth, Inuyasha’s tongue danced against hers, curling around it, tasting her as she tasted him.

He _did_ taste like chocolate and peanut butter.

They stayed like that for minutes or hours; neither really knew. Because in that moment, kissing Inuyasha, Kagome lost herself. His skin was supple and she drowned in his scent. His hair was deceptively soft as Kagome’s hands found their way to it. Inuyasha’s hands were gentle and tentative, pausing before each new touch. And his mouth held her hostage. As his kisses became bolder, Inuyasha let his tongue’s talent come to light, curling and embracing hers, gently lapping at her teeth, and even flicking lightly against her lips.

His kisses were somehow the sweetest and the most arousing kisses Kagome had ever experienced. Every time they pulled away, Kagome had to hold back a whine. But Inuyasha always leaned back in, and gifted her with more. It was all she could do not to start reaching under his clothes to feel his skin. If her decision to try to take him home had _ever_ been tenuous, it wasn’t anymore.

“Ka-Kagome.” Inuyasha whispered, using his hand to pull them out of their kiss. “This… _fuck_ … you don’t know how much I wanna… _continue_. But… well… can we… can we wait?..”

“Everything okay?” Kagome wasn’t going to panic, and for some reason, she was fairly certain this probably had something to do with sunrise.

“Y-yeah. J-just… sunrise is almost here and I really _really_ need you to see something,” Inuyasha whined, and from the desperate look in his eyes, Kagome didn’t argue.

She knew she was missing something. She had been since she met him. But, she trusted that whatever Inuyasha’s secret was, he’d tell her at sunrise. That was what the entire night had been leading up to. Kagome looked down at her watch. Not even an hour to go before the sun would come over the eastern horizon. Kagome could wait an hour.

“I don’t get this sunrise thing, but… okay,” Kagome sighed. “Were… were you…” Kagome swallowed heavily, “Did you like… y’know? Kissing me?”

“So fucking much,” Inuyasha answered, bringing his hand up to stroke her cheek. “ _So fucking much._ ”

“Good,” Kagome whispered, “because I liked kissing you too.”

Inuyasha pulled Kagome close to his body, then pressed his nose into the crown of her head, taking a deep breath.

“It’ll all make sense. I _promise,_ ” he said, pressing a single kiss into her hair.

For the next hour, Kagome simply leaned back against Inuyasha’s chest, letting his arms close around her. They didn’t speak, they simply listened to the ocean and looked up at the sky, content in the serenity. Their night had been full of color and words and banter and flirtation. Kagome found herself dozing off, protected in Inuyasha’s strong arms and lulled by his steady breaths. She knew he’d rouse her if she really fell asleep when it was time.

Whatever Inuyasha was waiting to tell her, Kagome was ready to listen. She remembered hours ago, musing about whether the second-chance date with Inuyasha was going to end up being one of the best dates of her life, and there, in his arms, surrounded by his warmth, she knew the answer. It was the _best date of her life_. And gods, she wanted Inuyasha to be a more constant presence in her life. Her body wasn’t the only thing aroused by him, so was her mind. His gruff exterior was eggshell thin, and the moment someone penetrated it, out spilled this smart and thoughtful and _funny_ man, who teased and laughed and grumbled and thought deeply about things. Those were the last thoughts in her mind when she finally gave in to sleep.

* * *

“Kagome?” Inuyasha’s nudge broke her out of the dream she’d been having. “It’s almost time…”

“Sunrise?” Kagome hummed, not yet opening her eyes, enjoying the steady rise and fall of his chest. “So what happens after that?”

“I suppose that’s up to you,” Inuyasha answered, his words measured.

“Weird answer,” Kagome giggled.

“Weird question,” Inuyasha retorted, but Kagome didn’t miss him pulling her in closer. Kagome also didn’t miss the melancholy sigh that broke from him. “And… I-I think we are going to be gettin’ an answer real soon.”

Kagome looked up at the sky, and realized that the inky blackness was giving way to blues to the east. Inuyasha was right, sunrise was almost upon them.

“Do… do you mind if we… go over there?” Inuyasha pointed to a small secluded alcove a couple hundred meters away. “It’s starting, and… I’d rather do it out in the open.”

“Okay.” Kagome pushed herself up, followed rapidly by Inuyasha. He took her hand and they walked to where he pointed.

As the sky grew lighter, Inuyasha picked up his pace, pulling Kagome along. His grip was growing tighter.

“Inuyasha, you sure you’re okay?” Kagome asked as she loped along behind him.

“Yeah… I’m fine. Just… really _really_ want some privacy,” he whined.

When they finally made it, Inuyasha turned and looked into Kagome’s eyes, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Okay. It’s comin’ soon, and all I want you to do is _watch_ me.”

Kagome nodded. Inuyasha’s eyes stayed completely focused on her. Somehow their violet irises looked both exhilarated and worried. Suddenly, just as the twilight blue sky was permeated with the slightest tint of yellow, Kagome felt the gentle press of something electric against her skin, like a heartbeat.

Then, watching Inuyasha, her breath stopped. Slowly the charcoal of Inuyasha’s hair bled away, leaving gleaming silver in its wake. Kagome looked down at Inuyasha’s hand and saw his human fingernails elongate, becoming claws. But it was his eyes that Kagome watched the most closely. The violet irises became flecked with amber, which seemed to overtake them like the dancing light of a sparkler, until the violet had been completely replaced by a luminous gold. But the things she’d failed to notice change were what she found next. In place of his human ears were two triangular ears, covered in a fine silver fur. _Dog ears._

Inuyasha, Kagome’s date for the night, had transformed from human to demon—no, _half demon_ —in front of her eyes.

Kagome looked at the downy ears that now adorned Inuyasha’s head, surrounded by his luminescent silver hair. _Beautiful._

“Your _ears_ ,” were the only words that escaped Kagome’s lips.

[ ](https://heavenin--hell.tumblr.com/post/640764396984025088/heaveninhell-my-wonderful-darling-thank-you)

Artwork commission by [heavenin--hell](https://heavenin--hell.tumblr.com/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch6 will post in 2 weeks to make way for a fun little event I am taking part in next week! Keep your eyes peeled!


	6. Sunrise

The ignition of his yōki was usually one of Inuyasha’s favorite sensations: the feeling of his power bleeding back into his limbs. Tonight, though, he wanted it to hurry the fuck up.

Inuyasha’s eyes changed first, and suddenly the black sheen of Kagome’s hair began dancing with all of the colors of the rainbow. The sparkle in her brown eyes intensified as if new light had come into them, and he could see every long, lush eyelash that lined her eyelids. His ears were next. The ocean’s roar nearly drowned everything else out, but he could still hear it. _Her_. Her rapid heartbeat and her sharp breaths, taking in his transformation. Then, at last, the salty seaweed odor of the Pacific Ocean assaulted his nostrils, but not before the other scents tickled his nose: chocolate and peanut butter from the treats they ate and shared in between kisses, and finally, vanilla and cherry blossoms. The scent of Kagome. It was _intoxicating_ , and he knew he would never be enticed by another the moment it hit his nostrils. But most importantly, the absence of fear, disgust, and hatred, intermingled in her scent.

Yet, the expression on her face was inscrutable. And the overwhelming power of the ocean was stunting Inuyasha’s ability to pick up the more subtle scents that would help him read her emotions. It seemed as if she was still processing his sudden change.

He was a shit. He should’ve told her. He shouldn’t have dragged her out all night to give her this goddamned test. He had taken her by fucking surprise with his transformation all because he didn’t trust her enough to be honest with him about half-demons...

“Your _ears_ …” Kagome whispered, but his returned ears heard every note and overtone to her voice—her _beautiful_ voice. “May… may I touch them?”  
  
Of all the fucking things he thought Kagome would say when she watched him metamorphose like a goddamned werewolf, ‘may I touch your ears’ was not in the top 100.

But it was perfect.

“Yeah.” Inuyasha bent his head down and felt Kagome’s fingers immediately cup his ears, rubbing them like they were delicate treasures.

The waves of pleasure that cascaded down his body with every little stroke of Kagome’s careful hands built an electric buzz inside of him. He was going to need to stop her before he did something really embarrassing like go limp and start purring.

“K-Kagome?” Inuyasha gently removed her hands from his ears. “Uh. You… you okay?”

Kagome didn’t let go of Inuyasha’s now-clawed hands, and she didn’t shy away from Inuyasha’s gaze.

“You’re a half-demon.” Kagome’s words were blunt, but her eyes were full of wonder. “Tonight was your human night. And… and you’re a half-demon.”

“Y-yeah.” Inuyasha jerked his eyes away from her. “I-I’m sorry. I shoulda told you.”

Kagome was suddenly in Inuyasha’s space, her scent overpowering his nose, her eyes so close to his that he trembled.

“You were scared.” Inuyasha listened to Kagome’s wavering _musical_ voice _._ “You were scared I would reject you.”

“Do you… do you _not?_ ” Inuyasha mumbled the words.  
Just because Kagome had a best friend who was a half-demon, and that her scent did not betray disgust at him, didn’t mean she wanted to _date_ a half-demon.

Kagome’s arms were around him in the firmest hug he’d ever experienced. As if she were holding onto him for dear life. And even as the salty scent of waves lapped at his nose, a new noxious scent of salt hit him: tears. _Her tears_. He wanted to make her tears stop. He wanted to tell her it was okay. He wanted to _protect her_.

“Your—your _life_ Inuyasha. Oh _shit,_ that stupid girl who called you a _beast_. The stuff about half-demons… you—you _experience that shit,_ ” Kagome whimpered into his shoulder as she held him. “I was so _glib_. Like I knew everything and gods! I am so, so sorry!”

“S’okay. Kagome.” Inuyasha held her close too. Maybe she wasn’t interested in him as a half-demon. But that was maybe okay. Because he could… he thought… be her friend.

“And… and I just… I didn’t even _guess_! Because—because Shiori always stayed home and hid away…” Kagome’s whimpers were getting louder. “You—you must’ve been miserable all night. Out and in crowds of weird people and I _switched dates_ and you must think we were such jerks…”

Inuyasha didn’t know how to stop her. She was trembling into his arms now, her tears continuing to burn his nose.

“It really is okay. I—I am glad I stayed out. I’ve _never_ gotten to go to a drag show before,” Inuyasha whispered, using his thumbs to rub circles at Kagome’s shoulder blades. “Or eat spicy ice cream. Or… or just hang _out_ with people.”

“ _Oh my god I forced you to go to a drag show_.” Inuyasha could smell Kagome’s snot as she sobbed. Even her snot smelled good. _Fuck he was in trouble_. But he could do it. He could be her friend. She was worth keeping in his life.

“I got to do stuff I never get to do. _Shit_ , I got to actually smell flowers without feeling sick.” Inuyasha knew he was starting to sound pleading, but he just wanted to figure out how to stop the sobbing girl who clung to him from feeling so awful.

As if her emotions were all at the surface.  
As if she was… sleep-deprived.  
From staying up all night.  
Talking to him.

“...And here I am being stupid and thinking about how gorgeous you are and are even more beautiful as a half-demon when your _life has been so traumatic—_ ”

Wait.  
Beautiful? _Gorgeous?_  
But… she hadn’t actually answered whether she rejected him or not.

“Beautiful?” Inuyasha had to know.

“Yeahhhh. Just _look at you_!” Kagome sniffled. “Fucking beautiful. Who has silver hair that’s fucking _glowing_ in the twilight and pretty golden eyes and … that body?”

Sleep-deprived Kagome apparently had no filter. Inuyasha was trying to keep his concentration, because the admissions she’d just made, while she was pressed so close to him, were not helping things.

Inuyasha felt the little spark of a chuckle start somewhere deep in his gut. It rapidly took root and bloomed into a booming laugh. _This. fucking. night. This. fucking. woman._

Kagome tensed for a moment, looking at him as if he had sprouted another set of ears, searching for the reason for his joy. Inuyasha gently raised his hand to Kagome’s eyes, and wiped away the tears that had now left a trail of mascara down her face. The little gesture was enough to get her to relax under his touch.

“Listen to me, Kagome.” Inuyasha smiled as he gazed into Kagome’s luminous chocolate eyes. “Doesn’t matter if life usually sucks. Tonight _didn’t_. I had a fucking ball. You’re… well, shit… You’re special.” Inuyasha leaned closer, watching as Kagome’s eyes widened, then dropped, focusing back on Inuyasha’s lips.

Then he smelled it. Something new. Delectable. _Ginger_.  
It was the scent of Kagome’s desire.  
A desire for him. As a half-demon.

“Can… can I kiss you again?” Inuyasha had nearly done it without asking when he picked up that scent, but… he wanted to make sure that his eyes and his ears and his nose were not deceiving him.

Kagome’s eyes lit up, and she nodded. And that was all it took for Inuyasha to close the distance between them again, tasting her mouth with his demon senses—still chocolate and peanut butter. He got to absorb every note of Kagome’s scent in his nose. He felt her tongue dart into his mouth, testing his teeth before pausing on his… fang. Inuyasha nearly jerked away, but he heard Kagome’s slightest little giggle while they kissed, and he sensed the slightest increase in the ginger scent of her desire.

She _liked_ his fangs.  
He was officially a fucking goner. He would now follow Kagome to the ends of his earth. Because of one goddamned night. And because of one goddamned giggle.

Fuck, how he wanted to continue, but he could also sense Kagome’s sleepiness, and he knew it was time to get her to bed.

“K-Kagome,” Inuyasha whispered. “We should probably head home.”

“Mmmmm. Good idea.” Kagome leaned in and kissed Inuyasha again. Her kiss was not as precise as earlier in the night, and Inuyasha had to fight off a chuckle as she kissed the side of his mouth. But he certainly would not refuse such sloppy, earnest kisses. Kagome continued, her words slurred but clear to his ears. “I have some _good ideas_ for what I want to do when I get you home.”

She _really_ didn’t have a filter right now.  
And apparently neither did his dick, because the suggestion of him coming home with her was _doing things to him_.

“Let’s get _you_ home first,” Inuyasha chuckled, trying to picture his asshole brother to swallow down the dirty images that were flashing in his eyes. “We’ll grab the Muni to my place and I can drive ya. If you’re okay with that.”

“Yes. Come to my apartment,” Kagome purred, hanging limp in his embrace. “My bed is really comfy.”

“Yeah I bet.” Inuyasha shook his head. “Come on. Let’s get to the stop, and then I promise I’ll get ya home and you can sleep all ya want.”

Kagome didn’t fight. Her sobs seemed to have sapped her of all energy. He held her hand and led her back away from the beach, finding his way to the stop that would get him to SoMa. After paying for both of their tickets, he let Kagome lean against him, throwing a protective arm over her. She fell asleep only about a minute into the ride, breathing steadily and… drooling on him, little patters hitting his shirt every so often. He did not even consider waking her up, because it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen: a woman he met less than a day before, who he _transformed_ in front of, so at ease that she gave in completely to her exhaustion, knowing he would protect her. He also didn’t think drool was supposed to smell good, but Kagome’s did: it smelled like the ocean after a storm _. Fuck_ , yeah, he was absolutely a goner.

As the bus made its way toward the east side of the city, Inuyasha let himself dream. Kagome, hiking Mt. Lassen with him to watch the sunrise. Kagome, baking him those peanut butter brownies she promised. Kagome, laying in bed while he whipped them both up some scrambled eggs and bacon. Kagome, moaning his name as he tasted her. Kagome, sleeping safely in his arms, _protected_.

He wanted all that. He wanted her.  
And _fuck_ , he hoped that she would want him too.

“Hate to wake you up. But we’re at my place.” Inuyasha prodded Kagome, who jerked awake.

“Thanks, Inuyasha.” Kagome slowly rose, took Inuyasha’s hand, and they both exited the bus. “I—I can take the BART… you don’t have to.”

“Least I can do, keeping you up all night,” Inuyasha shrugged, then turned and smiled at her. “Plus. I want to. You’re gonna fall asleep and find yourself in Bay Point. Better to let me take you.”

“Are you… not sleepy too?” Kagome asked, still dragging behind Inuyasha.

“We don’t need much sleep. Though human night is rough,” Inuyasha answered. “Usually I get drunk and pass out. This one was the first one in a long time I was awake for. And… well, the second my yōki returned I sorta… stopped being tired.”

Inuyasha failed to mention that kissing Kagome and snuggling Kagome and talking to Kagome had also acted like instant caffeine to his system.

“As long as you’re not driving dangerously,” Kagome lectured.

“Keh.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

They turned the corner and headed into the parking garage of his building. His SUV was where he left it.

“You—you’re not going up to your apartment?” Kagome asked, apprehension laced in her scent.

“Uh. I wasn’t, why?” Inuyasha didn’t want to presume anything. Kagome was exhausted. He needed to get her home. And he didn’t want her to think he was going to try to take advantage.

“I… I sorta need to… pee,” Kagome murmured.

Inuyasha couldn’t help but laugh.  
Right. They’d had beers, walked around all night, and drank two bottles of water.

“Come on…” Inuyasha sighed, pulling his house key out of his pocket and heading toward the doorway that led from the parking garage into the building. “It’s through here.”

Inuyasha unlocked his door, grateful that he’d cleaned the place in the last week. It was bare-bones, a one-bedroom apartment with a decent kitchen and a bedroom big enough for a king-size bed. He closed his ears off to the sounds coming out of the bathroom, electing to go to his kitchen and fill two glasses with water.

The flush let him know they would be on their way soon.

“Here.” Inuyasha handed Kagome the water. “Then… let’s get you home.”

“You—you joining me?” Kagome asked, a shy smile on her sleep-slackened face.

“Wh—what?” Inuyasha wasn’t planning to. He… he figured he could get her number when he dropped her off. Then text her and ask her if she wanted to do coffee… maybe with some witty joke… something about why Stanford was better just to rile her up.

“You—you don’t want to?” Kagome’s eyes glistened with sleep deprived tears.

“Shit Kagome, of _course_ I do. But… I don’t wanna take advantage,” Inuyasha answered honestly. “You need sleep. Last thing you need is a strange man in your apartment.”

“B-but… you’re not a strange _man_ , you’re _Inuyasha_ ,” Kagome whined. “And… I want to get to know the half-demon you.” She peered ardently into Inuyasha’s eyes, and he knew he would give in. But Kagome instead continued. “Plus… you never know what else could happen.”

Her face had turned a little pink and her voice was impossibly soft, but Inuyasha heard every syllable. He realized Kagome had started to giggle, and was staring at the top of his head. Apparently his fucking ears had decided to stage a mutiny and start wiggling excitedly at the possibility.

“ _Sleep_ ,” Inuyasha answered firmly, trying not to pay attention to Kagome’s adorable pleading face. “Sleep is what should happen. But… I can come in. Maybe just for a bit...”

Inuyasha jogged into his room and quickly changed his clothes, throwing on a new pair of boxers and track pants, and a clean white t-shirt. It was comfortable, and removed the stink of the city and his human night. That it was comfortable enough to sleep in was secondary.

“What’s your address?” Inuyasha returned to the living room, then grabbed his phone from his pocket.

“I’ll do it,” Kagome answered, then took his phone. She typed something in, he heard a ping, then she returned to the map app. “Address in, and… so is my phone number.”

Inuyasha looked incredulously at her. Without his having to awkwardly ask, Kagome had given him her number. And from the sounds of it, had texted herself from his phone to get his.

“Did you seriously just text yourself from my phone?” Inuyasha huffed, but neither of them missed the way his voice was musical, teasing.

“I… didn’t wanna forget,” Kagome murmured, a blush and grin on her face.

“Come on, stalker.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes, mostly to try to hide the manic giggle that wanted to escape him that sleep-deprived filter-less Kagome had just given him— _half-demon him_ —her phone number.

The drive to Kagome’s was short. Inuyasha parked his car on the street across from the little bungalow whose address she’d typed into the phone. The house was painted a powder blue, and held an air of welcoming that felt so entirely like Kagome. Her front yard was decorated with arid plants and succulents, except for a single Meyer lemon tree, its citrus scent flirting with his nose.

“Alright, sleepy head. Here we are.” Inuyasha turned to see Kagome was dozing against the window of his car.

Kagome jerked awake and took a deep breath, then smiled seeing her little house. She turned her eyes toward Inuyasha. “You coming? We can have coffee!”

“That is the _last_ thing you should be drinkin’ right now,” Inuyasha chuckled, but he opened his door and followed Kagome toward her house.

He sighed inwardly. He _shouldn’t_ follow her into her house, but he also knew he was helpless to refuse. Not when she had been so earnest in wanting to get to know him (even though he was an outright ass), not when she’d shown him new experiences and injected joy into that miserable night, and _especially not when she’d accepted him so readily when he transformed._

“...You _sure_ you want me to come in?” Inuyasha asked, barely above a whisper.

Kagome stopped just before her key opened her door, then wheeled around to face him. She brought her hand up to Inuyasha’s cheek, feathering her fingers against it before reaching all the way up and cupping one of his ears, balancing on her tiptoes.

“More sure than I’ve been about anything for a long time,” Kagome whispered, stroking the base of his ear. “I know so much about you Inuyasha, and now… I want to know more. I want to know the _half-demon stuff_. The stuff that was always sitting on the tip of your tongue but you were too scared to say. Too scared until I knew.” Kagome leaned herself into Inuyasha, her eyes filled with fire and her smile lighting up the morning. “I like you, Inuyasha. A lot. I wanted to take you home with me _before_ sunrise. And after..? _Even more._ ”

Kagome then leaned in and kissed him. Through her lips, he could read the honesty in her words. She smelled like heaven, and the ginger that was lacing her scent was slowly rising above all the rest.

“You’re somethin’ else, Kagome,” Inuyasha whispered, his lips still peppering Kagome’s mouth with kisses. “I-I’m sorry I hid my ...uh… half-demon status from you.”

“You can make it up to me,” Kagome giggled, finally releasing Inuyasha from her arms then turning and opening her door. “I hear you make a mean ramen…” Kagome walked through the door, tugging Inuyasha by the hand into the house. When she closed the door, Kagome’s voice grew soft. “You were scared. Because half-demons deal with _so much crap_. You were scared I’d be like that too.”

“I shoulda known you weren’t.” Inuyasha gifted Kagome another kiss, stopping himself before he told her that his night with her was probably one of the top ten _days_ he’d had in his entire goddamned life.

Inuyasha wanted to lean back in. He wanted to kiss her senseless and deliver on the promise of what ‘taking him home’ actually meant. But… not yet. Not when Kagome’s eyes drooped and her feet dragged. Not when her speech slurred from sleepiness and her scent contained the bitter note of exhaustion. Kagome needed to go to bed.

“Okay. You got me home. Now I have conditions.” Inuyasha folded his arms faux-sternly. “You’re exhausted, Kagome. So I want you to go to bed. You can text me when you get up and we can hang—”

“W-wait! Inuyasha..!” Kagome clung to him, her eyes wide and… tears? “P-please don’t go. I don’t want tonight… to end yet.”

Was Kagome… _whining_? Had this perfect woman who set his nerves on fire and smelled like fucking heaven and _liked him as a half-demon_ really just begged him to stay? _Fuck,_ he was _truly and completely_ a _goner._ He knew he would stay even before she asked, but… he had to put up a fight. And his instinct to care for her—to _protect_ her—was far stronger than his common sense, which told him that leaving and coming back was a better choice.

But, she needed to sleep.

“Tell you what. I’ll stay, but _only_ if you get at least a couple hours of sleep,” Inuyasha sighed. “Deal?”

“If you promise to snuggle me.” Kagome was _pouting_. It was the most adorable pout he thought he’d ever seen. This woman was _seriously_ negotiating sleep-for-snuggles with him.

He was _not_ about to say no to that.

“Fine.” Inuyasha trained his face not to break out into the delirious smile that threatened to escape him. “If you sleep, I will snuggle you.”

Kagome’s eyes slowly brightened, and her face slowly lit into a luminous smile. She scampered away into a room—her bedroom?—before calling back, “You coming?”

“Get changed and ready, silly woman,” Inuyasha replied. “I need to grab my phone charger outta my car. I’ll be right back.”

Kagome’s head popped out of the door frame, and her eyes were as wide as a puppy’s. “You promise?”

“‘Course I promise.” Inuyasha was still fixated on Kagome’s perfect puppy-dog stare. He would have given her _anything_ she asked for in that moment, and probably for the rest of his life, if she kept looking at him like that. “I’ll be right back.”

“Ooook.” Kagome turned back around and disappeared.

Inuyasha jogged out to his SUV and grabbed his charger. When he crossed back into Kagome’s house, he let himself take the space in. It was as sunny as _she_ was, littered with bright-colored paintings of flowers and stars and… was that a concept design for _Inside Out_? The wood-floored living room had a large flat-screen television, and an over-stuffed couch facing it. Her kitchen opened into the living area, and had a gas stove and a little kitchen table. He inhaled the scent of the place: wood and citrus (probably from the enormous bowl of Meyer lemons…), but mostly it smelled like her. Cherry blossoms and vanilla infused Kagome’s house, soothing and exciting Inuyasha in equal measure. He wanted to bury his nose in that scent and surround himself in it.

“Inuyashaaaa, you coming?” Kagome literally _purred_ from the other room, breaking him out of his trance.

She was lying in bed, waiting for him to crawl in with her.  
He would _get_ to stick his nose in her hair and inhale. Because she wanted him there. _Half-demon_ him.

Inuyasha took off his shoes and padded toward the room from which he heard Kagome’s voice. Her bedroom was small, with a queen-sized bed against the wall across from the door. She had a dresser on one side and a night table on the other. On the side opposite the two curtained windows were mirrored sliding doors (likely hiding a closet) and a pocket door that led back to a small bathroom. Inuyasha turned his attention back to the bed, and more specifically, the Kagome-shaped lump currently nestled under the floral comforter that covered her bed. Inuyasha plodded up to the bed, and gave Kagome a playful poke.

“You under there?” Inuyasha chuckled as the lump flinched.

“Hell yes!” Kagome threw the covers off of herself, revealing a white camisole ( _fuck a semi-translucent camisole_ ) and little green satin pajama shorts. She looked fucking _sinful_. “Care to join me?”

Inuyasha crawled into Kagome’s bed. The bed that smelled intoxicatingly like Kagome, _all of Kagome_. Cherry blossoms, vanilla, and _ginger_. He scooted his body so his back was against the headboard, then opened his arm to welcome Kagome to snuggle up to him.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome nuzzled into his chest as she resettled herself to be cuddled flush against him. “Thank you.”

“What for?” Inuyasha ran his claws through Kagome’s hair, releasing more of her cherry blossoms and vanilla. “If anyone should be thanking _anyone_ , _I_ should be thanking _you_.”

“Keh!” Kagome whispered, her voice laden with sleep. “You gave me… the best date I’ve ever been on.” Inuyasha felt Kagome smile against his chest even through the fabric of his t-shirt. “And you trusted me enough to share your secret.”

“Kagome…” Inuyasha answered, trying not to let his voice betray just how… _shit_ … how affected he was by not only her _acceptance,_ but also… the way she talked about the reveal as if he shared a precious secret with her. “Thank _you_. For… everything.”

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes, and within a few minutes, her breathing evened out. She was dead asleep, nestled into Inuyasha. And now that he’d found her, Inuyasha knew his life was never going to be the same again.


	7. The Other Half

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been waiting and wanting to write this chapter since the inception of this fiction. I wanted to do it because I adore Suikotsu/Kikyo as a ship, but more, I have _desperately wanted_ to do some realistic BDSM. It was a scary challenge, and one I almost chickened out of multiple times, but... I'm glad I did it. For any readers not interested in BDSM, this is a chapter that does not affect the InuKag narrative of the story, so it's entirely skippable for you.
> 
> I got a lot of feedback from folks who are in the scene (you know who you are, **thank you** ), to make sure I did a first time BDSM encounter between two kinky people _**right**_ , because it needs to be consenting, sexy, trusting, and very very communicative. But I want you to know, if you see something I may have missed and want to reach out, my [Tumblr](https://neutronstarchild.tumblr.com/) is always open (if you don't want to openly comment.)
> 
> For those of you not in the "scene", here is an extremely [good meta on how to write realistic BDSM](https://archiveofourown.org/works/864089/chapters/1657087) that I highly recommend to follow. BDSM ultimately is about **trust** , **communication** , and **role-playing** , and hopefully, you will see how Kikyo and Suikotsu navigated that first time play.

Kikyo’s back smacked into something hard, but she did not give two shits. As long as Suikotsu’s hands were roving her body. As long as his tongue was curling against hers. As long as his body was pressing her inescapably into that hard surface, all was good in the world.

“Door,” Suikotsu grinned, releasing Kikyo with one hand, all while the other was still massaging the small of her back.

Kikyo _heard_ the lock release, and the door handle creak, but it was not until she was no longer pressed between the delectable man she was currently tasting and a solid surface that she realized she probably shouldn’t have been using a door to balance herself.

It was a damn good thing Suikotsu seemed to be solid muscle, because her misjudgment in balance almost had them both tumbling onto the floor of his apartment in their… enthusiasm. Thankfully, his arms came around her and he resteadied both of them.

“Careful there.” Suikotsu mumbled, somehow getting the door closed while his teeth were on Kikyo’s neck. “Care for a drink?”

The pressure on her pulse point was making her even hotter than she already was. There was something about the way that he was grabbing her, the way that he was paying attention to her every little sigh, moan, and tremble. The confident little whispers that were… undoing her in that _special way_.

“N-no thanks,” Kikyo breathed back, trying to figure out how to tell him that he didn’t _need_ to do anything special to get her into the bedroom. She wanted to be there. Right now.

Because it had been a long time since she felt this sort of _hunger_ for a man. An unadulterated _need_ to be taken, to be _fucked_ , and as hard as he would give it to her.

After Kagome agreed (asked? Was that even possible?) to swap dates, after they’d paid the whole bill, Kikyo and Suikotsu had spent a little time at a bar he knew about near the 16th Street BART station. They both preferred whiskey to beer or wine. Suikotsu was well-read (both in the classics and in the newer up-and-coming writers), and seemed to have decided that helping Kikyo get access to good fair-trade coffee was a new personal quest. But that wasn’t all; as they talked, they stopped drinking, because they were way more interested in each other than in getting sloshed.

 _So… you wanna get outta here?_  
He’d actually used that line. And it had worked. That was why she was now in Suikotsu’s apartment.

That she was certain he could bench press her, and that his grey eyes, even when dark with desire, still sparkled from an inner happiness, only made her want him more. His tongue was _talented_ , curling around hers, flicking against her lips, and working in perfect congress with his teeth and his _own_ lips. Now she was here, and he was trying to be polite while making out with her. 

She didn’t want _polite_. She wanted to be _dragged into the bedroom_ and _thrown on the bed_. She wanted two hands holding her down as he had his way with her. She wanted hands-on-ass spanking and she wanted… well, she wanted a whole fuck of a lot more.

“Can… you give me a tour?” Kikyo exhaled. “Maybe… starting with the bedroom?”

“Hell yes,” Suikotsu said, then roped his arms around Kikyo’s ass. “How about a _hands-on_ tour?”

Kikyo laughed, launching herself into Suikotsu’s embrace, hiking up her skirt, and wrapping her legs around his waist. It brought a lot more of her into contact with him, and she could _feel_ his excitement, resting prominently and deliberately in between her thighs. Suikotsu strode into his bedroom so smoothly, it was almost as if he was not currently balancing her against him. A _strong_ hot doctor. Who was good with his mouth.

“Well shit. Looks like the only stop on this tour is there,” Suikotsu purred, walking directly over to his bed.

It was king-sized, and extremely neat, with a light gray duvet that was folded under the pillows. Suikotsu’s headboard was made of wood, with three posts holding up black planks slatted horizontally across. Kikyo could picture how _easy_ it would be to fasten… _restraints_ to it.

Why the hell was she thinking about this? It was like her brain was so desperate for someone to _scratch that particular itch_ , that the first man she went home with and was genuinely excited to sleep with, her brain was relentless in reminding her how _much_ she was craving… the blindfolds. And the handcuffs. And… well… all the rest of it.

It was also the way that Suikotsu touched her. His presence pressed on her, and yet, every movement, every touch, every kiss, he was… studying. Seeing how she reacted to it, and it was… it was starting to activate that special part of her brain that only activated when _that itch was about to be scratched_.

When Suikotsu advanced on her, Kikyo let herself fall onto the bed, and smiled into Suikotsu’s mouth as he fell on top of her. His body boxed her in, left her feeling immobile as his mouth attacked hers, as his tongue lapped at her teeth.

So Kikyo tried something, nudging Suikotsu with the gentlest of nudges, finding that the press on her relinquished immediately.

 _Interesting_. Kikyo thought, never breaking the kisses. _Does this go further?_

Kikyo lifted both of her hands over her head, crossing them at the wrists. Suikotsu watched the entire motion, his eyes widening, then darkening. With a little groan, Suikotsu took one hand and he grasped Kikyo by her wrists.

“I want to hear you.” Suikotsu’s voice was deep, dark, smooth, _focused_. As if he was taking himself to a different place now, too, activated by Kikyo’s simple motion. “I want to _know_ you are feeling good while I touch you.”

“We’re still clothed,” Kikyo chuckled, but she already felt herself drifting.

“That can be changed,” Suikotsu answered, a predatory grin crossing his face. “Tell me how you feel Kikyo. I want to _hear you_.”

 _Fuck_. It was getting harder for her to focus, for her not to slip into that delectable space that was tempting her. Suikotsu was not helping. His presence continued to encourage her to do it, to go into the trance she so desperately wanted to slip into.

But that trance was dangerous. It was _especially_ dangerous with a man she just met. One she hadn’t _asked_ … if he was like her. _Kinky._

She needed to know before this could continue. Needed to know if she needed to fight the urge to let herself slip. Needed to know if the word of Miroku about a man being a ‘good guy’ was enough for what she was keening for.

When Suikotsu’s hands returned to her body, slipping underneath her shirt, and his teeth returned to her neck, pinching just slightly, Kikyo made a decision.

“G-green,” she moaned.

Suikotsu shot up so fast Kikyo wondered if she’d made the right call. To anyone who’d never done BDSM, it was an innocuous (albeit slightly strange) word to utter in the throes of passion. But to someone _in_ the scene, ‘green’ was concrete. It was a signal. It was an invitation.

“Green.” Suikotsu’s eyes were alight. “I… I was starting to suspect. To _hope_. But I need to check right now: you know _exactly_ what that means, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Kikyo pushed herself up to perch on her elbows, her eyes focused completely on Suikotsu. “I know exactly what that word means.”

“Holy fuck.” Suikotsu ran his hands through his hair. “Okay. This changes the game. Because… if that is something you want to do, I want to, too. So we’re gonna talk rules. Green must mean…”

“Red-yellow-green,” Kikyo answered. _Never_ had she been so grateful she’d adopted the scene standard before. Because… it looked like the night was about to get a _lot more fun_ , for _both of them_.

“What is it you _like_?” Suikotsu asked, and Kikyo saw it. The sparkle behind his eyes was now overpowered by the fire of a man who’d been _seen_ , and whose deepest desire was not just acknowledged, but celebrated ( _just like her_ ). It was glorious. “If we… decide to add some spice to the vanilla.”

“ _Spice_ to the _vanilla_?” Kikyo couldn’t help but laugh. Suikotsu had just used one of the corniest segues she’d ever heard.

“Hey, man. I was over the moon you wanted to come home with me _already_!” Suikotsu joined Kikyo’s laughter. “Never in my _dreams_ did I think… well… _this._ ”

Yup. It was going to be a wonderful night. A buy Kagome that special one-of-a-kind Australian rainforest tea as a thank you sort of night.

“That silk tie you have over there,” Kikyo pointed to a tie that was currently draped over Suikotsu’s door knob, “A girl might get scared if she were _blindfolded_ or _tied up_ with it.”

“A _girl_ certainly could get scared. Especially if she has to _stay quiet_ ,” Suikotsu continued.

So, he was that sort of dom. Kagome was getting a _pound_ of that tea.

“I don’t know. Being quiet can be so hard. And only a good _spanking_ could possibly make up for someone being a bad girl and not staying quiet…” Kikyo continued.

“I see.” Suikotsu’s face turned suddenly very serious, breaking from its previously predatory glint. “I don’t want to make any assumptions here. I will be using that tie on you. On your hands, and to blindfold you. I _won’t_ be tying you so tight you can’t escape. Not now… not the first time. And, you’ll do as I say. Stay quiet if I say so. Moan if I say so. And I want you to _try_ to stay quiet. I can also guarantee you won’t be able to, and when you fail to do as I command, your punishment is a good old fashioned spanking. And I will be checking the _fuck in_ with you.” Suikotsu took one of Kikyo’s hands, and feathered a kiss on it. “Because you are the _first woman_ I’ve been with where… it wasn’t established _beforehand_ that we were going to… _play._ ”

“One more thing…” Kikyo added, because… it sounded _amazing_ , but she wanted something else. “Is… _sex_ still on the table?”

“It _sure as fuck is_ ,” Suikotsu answered, his gray eyes gleaming. He then leaned in and kissed Kikyo, restarting their game. “Anywhere you don’t want me touching you?”

“No…” Kikyo answered.

“Same…” Suikotsu’s eyes glimmered. “So… _you ready?_ ”

“Fucking _yes_ ,” Kikyo giggled.

“You talk a big game _babydoll_ ,” Suikotsu purred, then walked over to his door, liberating the silk tie that was hanging there, and draping it between his hands before snapping it taut. “And I intend to find out _how_ ready you are.”

Anticipation was blossoming in Kikyo’s chest, then spreading through the rest of her body. Holy _shit_. This was really happening. She’d gone from the most disappointing date in history with a guy who barely said a word to her, to the most exciting date in her life with a man who was lighting every nerve in her body on fire. How was he doing that? He was just looking at her, but somehow, his eyes stood out from the dull light of his bedroom: bright, _focused_.

Ready to scratch the itch.

“Now. Take off your clothes. I want to see _all_ of you.” Suikotsu’s voice turned deep, dark, commanding.

Kikyo did not hesitate to do what he commanded. First she peeled the turtleneck off of her head, startled when the moment she’d freed herself from the garment, Suikotsu was _there_ , watching. Then off came her skirt (her shoes were long-gone).

Kikyo could have sworn she heard a little moan as she was about to peel the sheer black stockings she’d elected to go under the pencil skirt.

“Keep the stockings on,” Suikotsu breathed. “Bra next.”

Kikyo did as she was told. The trance was starting. She could feel herself sinking into that wonderful suggestible place that scorched her nerves and left her feeling higher than she could achieve any other way. It was… _wonderful_.

It was also a bit scary. Then again, how the hell was it any different now? _Now_ , boundaries had been set. _Now_ , Kikyo knew exactly what Suikotsu planned to do to her. It was… sex. With a little bit of added spice. She trusted her words. She trusted _his_ words. And she trusted the conversation.

“Last little gift to unwrap for me babydoll.” Suikotsu put a single finger onto Kikyo’s knee. His touch was feather-light, and yet, it was insistent, and sent little currents of electricity thrumming through her nerves.

Kikyo was not about to refuse, fixing her gaze on his, a whisper of a smile on her lips. She looped her fingers around her black lace underwear and slowly pulled it down her body. When her hand reached Suikotsu’s finger, he took her underwear from her, and slid them the rest of the way down her legs, making sure not to disturb her stockings. Kikyo sat there, stark still, waiting.

“Let’s play a game,” Suikotsu said, wrapping the tie in his hands. “You will not make a single sound, babydoll.” Suikotsu brought the tie to Kikyo’s head. “Every sound you make will earn you a punishment. To be doled out how I want, _when_ I want.”

Once the tie was tied around Kikyo’s head, blindfolding her, she heard Suikotsu’s voice become impossibly soft, checking in. “You good?”

“Green,” Kikyo whispered back.

And holy hell she _was_. A need for him had pooled in her center, already coiled tightly. Because of what was coming, that delectable tension reached every part of her body. She wanted this; she wanted _him_. And… it was beginning. She could feel herself sinking into that splendid space of reaction and suggestibility. With nothing more than a blindfold, a voice, and a check-in.

“Remember babydoll… no. noise,” Suikotsu purred, and Kikyo felt herself being guided down onto the bed, her back against his mattress. 

Kikyo braced, but… nothing. Was he still there? Yes. She could hear him breathing. _Considering_. Why… _why_ was he waiting? It was building the twist in her gut. The strange sensation of knowing something was coming, but not knowing from where. It felt…

It felt _good._

Then the sensation hit her. Cold air puffing against her inner thigh. She tried to squirm and was met with a strong and steady hand. There would be no twisting away from Suikotsu’s touch. If she wanted to release the tension of the anticipation, she would have to do it with her voice.

That was the game.  
Use her voice and be punished later.  
Hold her voice and let him rove her.  
She could resist.  
She _would_ resist.

“Looks like I’m already having an effect, huh, babydoll?” Suikotsu murmured, just loud enough for Kikyo to hear. “Hands on the mattress. Your squirming is cute, but I don’t want you trying to escape.”

Kikyo thrust her hands onto the mattress immediately, following Suikotsu’s directions. And she did not speak. She’d promised to stay quiet. To resist Suikotsu’s temptation. She heard him moving around, but did not know where he was. Her nerves were on high alert, waiting for the next attack on her senses. She was _keening_ for him to touch her again, and yet she dreaded it, because she wanted nothing more than to know where he would touch her next, and he would not give that to her.

Suddenly something rough and wet made contact with the underside of Kikyo’s breast. She tried to twist away from the sensation, but two hands came onto her body again, holding her in place.

It was so much harder than she imagined to keep quiet. Her hands clenched the mattress so tightly she knew they were turning white; Suikotsu’s hands would not let her escape, and his tongue was probing and insistent. She knew where he was planning on lavishing next. Waited for it. Forced herself not to cry out as his nose and teeth and lips joined his tongue in worshiping her breast.

Finally, what she’d been waiting for. His mouth was over her nipple, alternating between rough sucks and gentle laps. 

The pulsations of pleasure that were crashing through her were _unbearable._ Kikyo was having to clench her teeth to keep from wailing while his mouth was on her. And as suddenly as it started, it ended, her nipple left bitten by the cold air. _He really really knew what he was doing_.

“My my… I had you pegged as being easy. And here you are… putting up a fight,” Suikotsu whispered, his lips now within millimeters of Kikyo’s ear. “Can you still use that voice?”

With a little tap, Kikyo realized what he was asking.

“Green,” she sighed.  
Because holy _fuck_ was she green.

The coil between her legs was so intense that it had expanded to every nerve from her thighs all the way up through her lower back. And still she was sinking. Almost there. Almost in the trance. The trance she promised herself she would resist as long as she could. But, her resolve was breaking, _and she was here for it._

“Good,” Suikotsu chuckled darkly. “I think it’s time to up my game, babydoll. Because… I don’t like seeing this resistance. I want to have you. To own you. To have you call me Master, and… while you still resist… I don’t get what I want.”

Kikyo shook her head, projecting defiance that she hoped she would pay for later.

“Cheeky. Well…” Suikotsu pulled away from her once again.

Kikyo focused her hearing as much as she could, trying to listen to what he was doing. Sounds of rustling fabric were just audible.

Then all at once, every nerve ending in Kikyo’s body was assaulted at the same time, as she was pressed into the mattress. Suikotsu’s teeth were on her neck, and he’d managed to make contact with nearly the entirety of her body. He was naked (and from the _feel of him_ , he was excited).

“I am gonna fuck you tonight. Can you tell Kikyo? I will be fucking you so hard that you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.” Suikotsu’s teeth continued to take little nibbles at Kikyo’s skin, and the length of him pressed at the juncture of her thighs. His hands were on her waist, then slid around back, pausing long enough for Kikyo to utter a safeword if she needed to (she didn’t). “Now… it’s time to get you to sing, _babydoll_.”

Suikotsu was off of her again, and it was all Kikyo could do to keep a whine off of her lips. Suikotsu’s full body press, then relinquishment, had _done its job_. It was making her _frustrated_. Making her keen. But… she would resist until she couldn’t.

The next touch, a light dusting of hair along her inner thigh, was probably enough to tell Kikyo she was about to lose this game. She’d managed to keep the little squeak in this time. Then, Suikotsu’s hands pressed into her thighs, opening her up more. She knew if she clenched her jaw any harder, she was going to have problems opening her mouth again. But… the longer she resisted, the deeper she got to sink. The bigger the reward was going to be when she came out the other side.

Suikotsu didn’t dive in like she expected. He… lingered. Peppering little kisses between her legs, light enough that she never knew where his lips were going to contact her thigh next. And every new kiss or lick or touch or nuzzle amplified the sensation of the last. Kikyo was almost gone, but not…

“ _Fuckkkkkk!_ ” Kikyo’s voice betrayed her the moment Suikotsu’s tongue lapped at her clit.

“Oh my. Looks like my good babydoll is going to need to be punished,” Suikotsu stayed stark still, his head between Kikyo’s legs. She could feel his hot breath tickling her pubic hair. “But first, would you like me to continue?”

“Y-yessss,” Kikyo hissed.

“Yes, _what_?” Suikotsu purred.

“Yes… _Master_ ,” Kikyo answered, her resistance finally shattered.

“Good girl,” Suikotsu chuckled. “Now… Master is going to let you have this one, before it’s time for your punishment.” Suikotsu licked, and Kikyo squeaked. “But… I expect to know how _much_ you appreciate your Master doing this for you.”

“Okay Master,” Kikyo sighed.

The roles were now set. And Kikyo finally gave in. Suikotsu—no, _Master_ —owned her now. He owned her pain and he owned her pleasure. She would do what he said to be his good girl, his _babydoll_. And when he gifted her with his mouth between her legs, she would sing for him. Because he commanded her to.

The blindfold was robbing Kikyo of her ability to place him, but she could feel his presence everywhere, and nowhere. He kept a single hand hooked into her stocking, and brought his nose back to the pearl of nerves that brought her so much pleasure, nuzzling the trimmed curls as he went. His other hand then joined his mouth, teasing at the lips of her sex. But he kept his mouth closed, not yet offering her what he knew she so desperately wanted.

Kikyo sighed at the sensation, trying to coax the voice she’d so stubbornly stuffed away back from her lips. With her little sigh, Suikotsu’s mouth opened, and his lips curled around the nerves encased below. Kikyo moaned a little louder, to let him know she appreciated the further gift. But then he pulled away, causing her to grunt.

“Do you want me to lick you babydoll?” Suikotsu asked, his voice still dangerously low.

“Yes… _Master_.” Kikyo’s voice was barely her own now, so deep into her trance she had fallen.

“How much?” Suikotsu leaned back in, and blew directly onto her exposed clit. She trembled, but her Master had asked her a question.

“So much _Master_ ,” Kikyo whined. Her body _was rabid for_ him. To let her go. To give her what she wanted. What she _needed._ “Please…”

“Ask again. I want to hear the need in your voice,” Suikotsu commanded, but he was leaning deliciously close now.

“ _PLEASE_ ,” Kikyo whined, trying to hold her throbbing body still, “Please Master, god in heavens _please_.”

“Good girl,” was all Suikotsu said before he dove back in.

His tongue attacked the bundle of nerves that pulsated electricity through the rest of Kikyo’s body, and her voice was no longer her own. It was for Master, and only for Master. And she cried and purred and moaned and groaned as he licked.

“Green?” Suikotsu whispered, interrupting their play for a moment, as his fingers started pressing into Kikyo’s body.

“Green…” Kikyo confirmed, words that had been ingrained in her so deeply she could utter them even while she was in the trance.

“Good girl,” Suikotsu chuckled, as his fingers joined his mouth in pleasing her.

Kikyo’s entire body was taut from his ministrations, though the core of her throbbed with the most insistence. She felt so tight and high that she was terrified that a single wrong move would make her combust. But Suikotsu was not making a wrong move. To the contrary: every lap of his tongue, every gentle wiggle of the fingers currently teasing at her opening, were driving her higher. Forcing her voice louder, begging and pleading with her Master to release her from the tension that threatened to undo her.

When the pulsations from _inside_ of her began resonating with the ones Suikotsu’s tongue was bringing to her clit, Kikyo began to cry. Calling, begging, pleading for him to end this. When he asked, she barely got the word ‘green’ out, because this was everything she wanted. She _wanted_ to feel the tension in her body drive her to insanity. She _wanted_ to beg someone to put her out of her misery more than anything else in the world. And she _wanted_ that person to be him— _Master_.

“Okay babydoll,” Suikotsu rasped. “You only get one more lick so you _better_ be ready to sing for me.”

Kikyo whimpered in her need, her entire body so taut from Master’s attention that she was on the brink of exploding. She could do it. She could give him exactly what he wanted the moment his tongue touched her for the last time that night. She was ready. She _was ready_.

So she waited for him; the anticipation was twisting the coil of pleasure even tighter in her insides.

And then… the rough pressure of his tongue made its last contact with her clit and the dam broke. Every muscle in her body released its tension at the same time. The tidal wave of spastic pleasure that vibrated through her touched every nerve, every muscle, every _emotion_ , and Kikyo let loose her howls and her cries and her shrieks, a standing ovation to the composer of her bliss. Kikyo took deep breaths as the aftershocks coursed through her body, aware of the stars that were crossing through her vision. Aware that… _Master_ had indeed rewarded her.

“Good girl,” Suikotsu panted, sounding like he’d just enjoyed himself nearly as much as Kikyo had. “You still green?”

Kikyo nodded. Had a first orgasm with a man _ever_ been that good? Her nerves were still purring from their release.

“Then I am going to take your blindfold off,” Suikotsu said, his voice gentler than before. “You want to keep going?”

Before Kikyo could answer, she felt Suikotsu’s hands gently, but deliberately, come behind her head, untying the tie. When her vision returned, his gray eyes were fixed on hers, wide and luminous, and the smile that lit him had recruited every muscle in his face.

“Fuck _yes_ ,” Kikyo whispered.

Her body still thrummed, and she wanted to keep riding it. Keep _playing_ with the marvelous man she was not even supposed to be on this _date with_.

“Awesome.” Suikotsu actually _fist-pumped_ at Kikyo’s answer, causing them both to laugh. “S-sorry. Not very dommy. I-I’ll… _get back to it._ ”

Kikyo giggled. For some reason, Suikotsu’s momentary break only served to make her _more_ into him, if that was even possible.

“Okay _babydoll_.” Suikotsu’s posture changed, and his eyes grew dark again. “You _were_ very good for me. But… you still didn’t keep quiet even though your Master ordered you to be.”

Suikotsu took the tie that had so recently been tied around Kikyo’s head, stretching it taut, and wrapping the edges around his hands.

“Time to make sure you can’t run away, _babydoll_ …” Suikotsu growled. “Turn over and crawl. Then put your hands on the bedpost.”

Kikyo swallowed down the squeal that attempted to escape her as she rolled herself over and crawled up to Suikotsu’s headboard. She couldn’t remember the first time she’d fantasized about being tied up and taken. The first time the idea of someone having their way with her helpless form was the _thing_ she craved so deeply it embedded itself into every one of her fantasies, the itch she perpetually wanted to scratch.

Kikyo finished her crawl to the headboard, then adjusted her weight so she could balance on her knees without putting too much weight on her hands. As she grasped for the bars, Suikotsu pressed his body over hers, his lips inches from her ear. Kikyo shuddered when Suikotsu’s hands found her hands, and she felt the silk of the tie start winding around them. _She could not fucking wait_.

“I can do the knots way better than this. But not the first time,” Suikotsu whispered, his voice soft, and his hands gently caressing Kikyo’s wrists. “Just assume your _Master_ is too excited to tie you up right because he was ‘distracted’. So if you need to escape, you can. You still good?”

“Green,” Kikyo answered, then turned her face toward Suikotsu. “Fucking _green_.”

“Good girl,” Suikotsu breathed, then feathered kisses to both of Kikyo’s eyelids.

Kikyo tried the knot now binding her hands to the bedpost, but found that Suikotsu had done his job. Sure, she could tell that she would not need to twist her hands too deliberately to pull out of the tie, but she was good and immobilized. If _this_ knot work was some he considered sloppy… well… Kikyo would crawl on her hands and knees and beg him to tie her up every fucking day from that point on, because she could not wait to see what he considered a ‘clean’ knot.

“What sort of reward does my _babydoll_ want?” Suikotsu purred, his teeth nibbling Kikyo’s ear, now back in character. “Do you want me to show you what you are doing to me?”

“Y-yes…” Kikyo sighed, letting herself begin the glorious journey back into the trance.

“Yes— _what_?” Suikotsu asked, a low growl in his voice.

“Yes… _Master_ ,” Kikyo answered.

“Then I will have to show you.” Suikotsu chuckled darkly, then swiftly repositioned himself behind Kikyo, kneeling so the front of his thighs were pressed against the back of hers. “Do you want to feel it babydoll? How hard I am?”

“Yes Master,” Kikyo whined, “ _Please_.”

She knew what Suikotsu was going to do. Knew that he was playing with her. Knew that he was doing it once again, building up anticipation for the rest. And she could wait. Only she couldn’t wait. The coiling arousal had returned to her center. The more she heard his voice, felt his hands, simply _thought_ about what he was about to do to her, had made her drip with delight at what came next.

Kikyo felt Suikotsu’s hands perch themselves on her hips, and she felt him shift his weight. Soon, his body was making contact with her ass, and she felt him. Hard, long, and throbbing with as much want as she was. Kikyo readjusted her position, bringing more of herself in contact with Suikotsu. She wanted— _needed_ —him to feel what he was doing to her.

“F-fuck.” Suikotsu did not break composure for long. “Ohhh. Naughty naughty babydoll. Trying to get her reward early,” he purred. “No. That won’t do. Defying Master like that. I think…” Suikotsu raised his hand, his palm open. “That you need a spanking.”

“M-Master…” Kikyo whimpered, feeling the buzz of the anticipation of Suikotsu’s hand begin to spread through her.

“Shhh…” Suikotsu dropped his hand, then brought it into contact with Kikyo’s skin, rubbing the muscles of her right buttcheek, projecting where he was planning on landing the smack. “Punishments and pleasure can come hand-in-hand for you _babydoll_. So… one little spank, then… the fun can begin.”

Kikyo felt all her muscles go taut. She could not wriggle away. She could not beg her Master to spare her, because she deserved it. All she could do was wait. And hope. And trust. And… everything up until that point was so good. So… she could trust.

“Hey, there.” Suikotsu’s voice got soft again. “I’m gonna start light, and after each one, you need to check in with me.” He continued to caress her. “I want to fuck you Kikyo. And I’d planned on doing it while I spanked you. But I am not going to do _either_ until I am absolutely sure you’re okay.”

Kikyo turned her eyes toward him, breaking the trance for a moment.

“H-how could you tell?” she asked, seeing the softness in Suikotsu’s eyes.

“You grimaced,” Suikotsu answered. “So… this part, we are gonna take even slower.” Suikotsu sighed, then climbed down from the bed, coming to a kneel so he could be face-to-face with Kikyo. “You being comfortable is more important to me than anything else. I don’t want to push you.” With a small caress, the soft smile Kikyo knew to be Suikotsu crept onto his face. “We have _plenty of time_ to edge further along the path. But I am not gonna fuck up a good thing going too far too fast.”

He could tell. He could tell she’d tensed. _Braced_. And not in the fun way.

She _liked_ spanking, but there had been one too many times that someone did it poorly, or too hard. She liked getting used to the pain, to each subsequent smack. 

“I-I’m sorry,” Kikyo sighed, adjusting herself in her binds. “I need to _acclimate_ to pain. I should have said something.”

“It’s okay.” Suikotsu let his fingers dust Kikyo’s jaw, his eyes still soft and loving. “I can do that. _Shit_. I want to do that. Are we okay to continue?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Kikyo said.  
She wondered if it was too early to marry this man.

“I am gonna put on a condom. Because Kikyo—I have _never_ wanted to fuck anyone as much as I want to fuck you,” Suikotsu admitted, then his eyes grew dark again. “And if you’re not having trouble forming sentences, I have not done my job… _babydoll._ ”

Kikyo let a luminous smile re-form on her lips, one that she and Suikotsu shared. The play had begun again. Suikotsu retreated as far as his night table, ripping open the foil of a condom and rolling it down his, for lack of a better word, _impressive_ dick. It was the first time Kikyo had really paid attention to it, but Suikotsu was clearly a _gifted_ man, so much so that she had to hide the fact she was salivating.

She hadn’t believed she could get wetter, especially not after that mindblowing orgasm. But, there they were.

“Alright _babydoll_.” Suikotsu climbed back onto the bed, back behind Kikyo’s form, and his hands regripped her hips. “Are you ready for me? Both for your punishment _and_ your reward?”

“ _Yessssss_.” The hesitation in Kikyo’s voice was gone.  
“Yes— _what_?”  
“Yes… _Master._ ”

“Forgetting to address me properly… tut tut tut. It is _definitely_ punishment time,” Suikotsu purred. “I’m going to spank you now. And after each spank you are going to tell me if you need to be punished harder by telling me _harder_. But if you’ve been punished good enough, you simply need to tell me ‘I’ll be good.’ And even if I still spank you, I won’t go any harder.”

“Do-do I still get a reward _Master?_ ” Kikyo whined.  
She really _really_ wanted him to fuck her with that perfect cock.

“Cheeky cheeky cheeky. Trying to get her reward before the punishment. Hmmm….” Suikotsu leaned forward, his cock in contact once again, resting against Kikyo’s ass, causing her to groan with need. “One spank. Then your reward.” His hands gently rubbed her cheek once more, projecting where he planned to make contact.

Kikyo inhaled, getting ready for the spank she knew was coming. And even as she knew that his first smack would be gentle, the anticipation of it was still causing her body to keen, begging for his hand to make contact _right now_ , to put her out of her misery. Kikyo closed her eyes, and let a whine escape her. Using her voice always helped her to ground herself, to transform the pain into pleasure, to help her reach the plane that Suikotsu had brought her to once already that evening.

Then, with a crack, Kikyo felt the sting of Suikotsu’s hand. It was sharp, but light.  
He hadn’t been kidding about taking it slowly. Building it up.

“Good girl,” Suikotsu breathed. “What do you think? Was that enough punishment? Or does my bad babydoll need more?”

“Harder,” Kikyo keened. Her body was still singing from the little sting of his hand.

“Well well well… I wouldn’t want you to feel deprived of proper punishment,” Suikotsu chuckled, “But… I think we’ve _both_ been waiting long enough for our reward.”

Suikotsu’s fingers started caressing the lips of her sex, gently opening them. Then Kikyo felt it: the head of his cock, not yet inside of her, but so-very-close. Testing whether he would fit, teasing.

“Your body says you’re ready for me,” Suikotsu whispered. “How about the rest of you?”

“ _Green_ ,” Kikyo wailed.

She wanted there to be no ambiguity as to what she wanted. She wanted his cock inside her, caressing her in all the places the rest of him could not. She wanted to feel the exquisite sting of his hand on her ass as he fucked her from behind. She wanted to ‘fight’ her restraints and ask him to punish her ‘harder’.

“Good _girl_ ,” Suikotsu groaned, and he pushed himself into Kikyo’s body with one deliberate thrust.

Kikyo’s nerves ignited from the new sensation, as Suikotsu filled her. It had been a _long time_ since a man’s cock had felt quite this good. He moved his body languidly, burying himself to the hilt inside of her, almost to the point that it was uncomfortable, then pulling out nearly completely, leaving her feeling emptied. Suikotsu knew how to tease her just right. Kikyo moaned as he moved, trying to push herself against him and bring his cock back inside of her.

“Oh babydoll, _what you are doing to me_ ,” Suikotsu moaned. “But, you’re not finished being punished. You didn’t keep quiet.” And Kikyo felt his hand, rubbing her ass once again, in congress with the jolts to her core that his cock’s invasion was gifting her. “Punishment time.”

Suikotsu’s hand came in contact with her ass at exactly the same time he thrust forward. The combination of the sting and the pleasure caused Kikyo to cry out so loudly that it echoed through his house.

“ _Harder_ ,” Kikyo whimpered, though, as predicted, she was starting to have trouble speaking in coherent sentences.

“Good girl,” Suikotsu purred, “Taking your punishment so well for me. And… sounds like you need some _more_.”

Suikotsu rubbed a spot on Kikyo’s left cheek next, causing Kikyo’s muscles to tense, and _fuck,_ if that didn’t make his cock inside her feel even better. Everything that they were doing—the spanking, the waiting, the fucking—was coiling Kikyo’s muscles tauter, spreading ever more intense pleasure expansively through her body _and_ sinking her deeper into the space where she was Babydoll and he was Master. The next loud _crack_ , just as sharp as the last one, but ever-so-slightly harder, made Kikyo desperate for more, for _harder_. For his cock to keep pumping her and his hand to keep spanking her, so her pleasure could climb higher and her trance could sink deeper.

 _“ **Harder,** ” _Kikyo moaned. She needed more punishment. And more reward. She needed _it all_.

“Oh _babydoll_ , I have _plenty more punishment_ where that came from,” Suikotsu groaned, and his hand came back to Kikyo’s ass, rubbing it as he continued to fuck her. “And plenty more reward too.” 

What followed could have been minutes, and it could have been hours. Kikyo tugged on the silk tie that bound her hands, and cried and screamed as Suikotsu slowly increased the intensity of his smacks, _always_ combining the sharp sting of his palm with a forceful thrust of his cock. And Kikyo kept asking for _harder_. Suikotsu smoothly lifted her higher and higher into her pleasure, and deeper and deeper into her trance, his combination of pleasure and pain so well-honed that Kikyo fully surrendered his control, letting him compose the bliss of their experience.

“It’s time babydoll.” Suikotsu’s wobbly words came at the moment Kikyo thought she was about to snap. “Time for _us both_ to get our reward. You… you ready?”

Kikyo tried to say yes, but she could only nod. Master was going to release her, and let her _release_. She wanted it. She _needed_ it.

“Then come for me.” Suikotsu’s voice became louder and deeper, and he increased the speed of his thrusts, his cock pressing up against the soft bit of tissue that was summoning her orgasm.

And then, once again, the dam broke, and Kikyo howled, louder than the first time, and louder than all the times she cried at Suikotsu’s spanks. It was as if those were simply previews of the waterfall of sensations that gushed through her for the grande finale of their play.

“ _Good… girl…_ ” Suikotsu slunked against Kikyo’s back, breathing as heavily as she was.

With a gentle caress to her thighs, Suikotsu pulled out and crawled off the bed. He then walked to the headboard and untied her hands, freeing her from her binds, freeing them from their game.

“That was—” Kikyo gasped, collapsing into Suikotsu’s bed.

“Fucking _amazing_.” Suikotsu finished her thought, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Let me clean up and get you a glass of water. Then…” he then kissed her eyelids, “If you want to, I am a giant snuggler… _especially after that._ ”

“That’d be… nice,” Kikyo beamed, still not entirely out of her trance.

“I’ll be right back.” Suikotsu laid one last kiss on Kikyo’s cheek, then plodded out of the room.

Kikyo took the time to admire Suikotsu’s sculpted legs, and she _definitely_ appreciated his ass that looked like two perfect scoops of ice cream. During their play, she’d either been blindfolded, entranced, or getting taken from behind, so she’d never really gotten to see that he was muscled like an Olympian.

It wouldn’t have mattered if he wasn’t built like that, because what they had found in each other was not something that came along very often. The way Suikotsu had made Kikyo feel on their _first encounter_ had been a revelation. They had chemistry while they talked, maybe too much. And they had chemistry in the bedroom, _maybe too much_.

Kikyo… _liked_ Suikotsu. Maybe too much.

“Water.” Suikotsu re-entered the bedroom, still gloriously naked, and holding a glass. “I have a t-shirt and boxers if you want them.”

“Thanks,” Kikyo said, accepting the water gratefully. “And… boxers and a t-shirt would be nice.”

“My pleasure,” Suikotsu beamed. He walked to his drawer and grabbed two t-shirts and pairs of boxers, then climbed onto the bed and handed a set to her. “By the way, want out of those too?”

Kikyo looked down and realized she was naked save for the black stockings she’d worn for the date.

“I didn’t even remember I wore these…” Kikyo shook her head, lifting her leg and letting Suikotsu drag them off her body.

“I sure did,” Suikotsu chuckled. “I have a bit of a… _thing_ for stockings.”

“Your way of saying I shouldn’t toss these in the bin?” Kikyo winked.

“Don’t threaten such perfect articles of clothing like that!” Suikotsu teased, then handed her the t-shirt and boxers. “There are very very dirty sexual favors I would do for a woman in stockings.”

“Oh really?” Kikyo grinned, wiggling into the bed clothes he’d provided. “And here I thought you were a boxers and t-shirt man.”

“I am a boxers and t-shirt kind of man too,” Suikotsu answered, throwing on both and climbing back in bed. “Though, at least right now, it’s mostly making me want to cuddle you. A _lot_.”

“Sounds like a good deal,” Kikyo laughed, then leaned into Suikotsu’s waiting arm, sighing as she was pulled into his chest. “You always a cuddler afterward?”

“Pretty much,” Suikotsu said, stroking Kikyo’s hair. “I also sort of _love_ bathing together but… that seemed a bit presumptuous.”

“You _wash_ your subs?” Kikyo asked, incredulous.

“Been… a while,” Suikotsu admitted. “It’s not something I’ve gotten to… indulge in. Recently.” He pulled Kikyo in a bit tighter. “Let me know what sort of shampoo and stuff you use so next time—uh, if you wanted there to be… we could… do that?”

“I would _love_ that,” Kikyo sighed. “No one’s ever… asked… before.”  
  
“I—I’m askin’. Because I love doing that.” Suikotsu pressed a kiss to Kikyo’s forehead. “Whenever you want. But… bring some stockings…”

“Hentai,” Kikyo teased, smiling when she heard Suikotsu chuckle. “So… when… did you figure out you were… into kink?”

“Long as I can remember,” Suikotsu answered. “You remember those cheesy old silent films with the women tied to train tracks?...”

“Oh, my god—YES,” Kikyo laughed. “I’m trying to picture you as one of those old-timey bandits with the mask and the twirled up mustache…”

“Oh. I have plenty of masks.” Suikotsu poked Kikyo’s cheek lovingly, “Though I can’t grow a mustache for shit…”

“Poor man!” Kikyo poked Suikotsu’s cheek right back. “Good thing you look so smokin’ hot without one.”

“Smokin’ hot huh?” Suikotsu raised an eyebrow. “Smokin’ hot enough to score another date?”

Kikyo laughed so hard at the earnest way Suikotsu asked that she actually squawked.

“Smokin’ hot enough to get my phone number at least.” Kikyo rolled her eyes, but then she grabbed Suikotsu’s hand. “And… well… _definitely_ at least one more date.”

“That’s good because…” Suikotsu leaned his head closer, kissing Kikyo, “I really like you.”

“I really like you too.” Kikyo leaned back enough to look in his eyes. “Too much probably.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Suikotsu said. “One night at a time.” He then leaned in and kissed her again, as if he could not help himself. “Starting with this one, if you want…”

“I… do,” Kikyo admitted, relieved he asked.  
She’d deal with brushing teeth and getting home at some point. But that could wait, at least until sunrise

So Kikyo closed her eyes, allowing her body to go limp. The comedown from the high of the evening was finally hitting her, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Suikotsu, for his part, seemed perfectly content to let her stay as long as she wanted to, settling into his own slumber with her still nestled in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are looking for more accurate and good depictions of BDSM in an Inuyasha story (specifically with a male dom and a female sub), check out [Hidden Secrets](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13842921/chapters/31837296) by [Lbliss21940!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lbliss21490/pseuds/Lbliss21490)
> 
> There are some good ones with a female domme and a male sub as well! Such as [Dungeon Master](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23587492/chapters/56596249) by [BrigidTheFae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrigidTheFae/pseuds/BrigidTheFae)
> 
>  **Finally** , [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/) got a little inspired and did a sketch of this _relationship_ for me. And I loved it so much I needed it finished! So I commissioned her to color it for me. And here is the amazingness of that decision. **_This is definitely a moment much later in Suikotsu & Kikyo's relationship_**
> 
> * * *
> 
> [ ](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/post/636775717809651712/little-something-that-is-available-for-full-view)
> 
> Artwork commission by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)


	8. Sunrise to Sunset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to the lovely [mickisketch](https://mickisketch.tumblr.com/) for _reasons_.

Something sweet and smoky began to rouse Kagome from her sleep, as if her dreams were cooking… _bacon_? Kagome’s eyes shot open and she lurched upward. Daylight streamed into her bedroom as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

Someone was cooking bacon.  
 _Inuyasha_ was cooking bacon.

That’s right. Last night, Kikyo and Kagome went on a double-blind date with two men: Suikotsu and Inuyasha. Last night, Kikyo and Kagome swapped, which meant that Inuyasha became Kagome’s date. Last night, Inuyasha had asked her to stay with him until sunrise, all so that he could show her that he was a half-demon.

Last night… Kagome went on the best date of her life.

She’d never clicked with someone so fast, whether it was about losing their parents, about their siblings, about first experiences and weird dates, about why Berkeley was far superior to ‘Stanfurd.’

And… where Inuyasha the human was handsome and sexy, Inuyasha the _half-demon_ was _beautiful_ ( _and_ handsome and sexy). Kagome didn’t think she would ever forget the moment Inuyasha’s eyes began to shine amber as the first rays of light hit them. She hoped he’d let her watch him change again, because it was enthralling.

She’d bartered for snuggles. Begged him to stay. Hinted at the many things she wanted to do to him when she got him home. Yup… apparently sleepy Kagome was as bad as drunk Kagome… At least sleep deprivation didn’t mean waking up with a hangover. And even with all that, he’d stayed, because he told her he would. She’d fallen asleep against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, his arm wrapped protectively around her. And now, he was still there, _cooking_.

Kagome rolled out of bed and plodded toward her kitchen, where the bacon smell was coming from. When she rounded the corner, she saw him. Inuyasha’s back was to her, but his ears were pointed in her direction. He had a spatula in his hand, and was adjusting the position of the bacon.

“I _know_ I did not have bacon in this house when I left for my blind date last night,” Kagome mused, happy to see Inuyasha throw a sheepish little glance in her direction.

“Uh… Well… Berkeley Bowl is really close, so I just… instacarted it,” Inuyasha answered, his spatula still playing with the bacon.

“Wait… did you buy all the food you are now cooking?” Kagome saw eggs, chèvre, sun dried tomatoes, and basil stacked next to him, as well as a pound of coffee beans. And… was that a bag of potatoes?

“I uh… I got hungry.” Inuyasha turned his face back to Kagome again just long enough for her to see the little blush across the bridge of his nose. “And I figured… well… you could probably use something to eat.”

“So instead of raiding my refrigerator, you… bought my groceries to cook for me?” Kagome crossed into the room, inspecting the Blue Bottle coffee sitting on her countertop, trying to keep the smile on her face from morphing into laughter. “Guess you _really_ want me to owe you something. I mean… my peanut butter brownies _are_ the best thing anyone can ever eat...”

“That a promise?” Inuyasha turned around and grinned, his fangs gleaming in a sunbeam that had found its way into the kitchen.

“Depends… what _exactly_ are you making?” Kagome winked. She would be baking him brownies, no matter his answer; and she hoped she’d be doing a whole lot more than that.

“Uh. Was thinking bacon and homefries, and makin’ chèvre, sun dried tomato, and basil omelets,” Inuyasha answered, turning his attention back to the food. “Saw you had a coffee grinder and figured you’d need some of that too.”

“Hmm…” Kagome tapped her chin. “I’m pretty sure that making me breakfast-as-lunch with _that_ sort of food is worth at _least_ a couple batches of peanut butter brownies…”

“Be careful or I’ll just have to stay and make you ramen,” Inuyasha teased.

“Be careful or I might just take you up on that,” Kagome answered. “You _did_ hype up your ramen after all. Gotta see if it’s up to standard.”

Kagome really wanted Inuyasha to stay. Even before digging into the fluffy omelet he was now cracking the eggs for, or the bacon he was pulling out and resting on a paper towel, she wanted him to stay. She’d spent a night with him. Had slept in bed with him. Had met him on the most miserable night of his month, and still, she wanted more of him, because it was so clear she had barely scratched the surface.

The other problem was that he was _scrumptious_. The t-shirt he was wearing was doing nothing to hide the marble-cut muscles that laid underneath it, and his track pants could not obscure his perfectly formed butt. It had been a _while_ since Kagome had slept with someone, so her craving to be pressed underneath a finely muscled man was getting unbearable. And now, the most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on was in her kitchen cooking for her.

Kagome knew how people reacted to half-demons. She’d watched it happen to Shiori over and over again. When he changed, Kagome saw the haunt in Inuyasha’s eyes, as if now that she’d seen the “real him,” it was over.

It had, in fact, had the opposite effect.

The way his silver hair caught the light mesmerized her, and she wanted to see if it kept its unearthly glow even into the night. His golden eyes too seemed alight with their own fire. His _fangs_ were teasing her and making her _wish_ he’d drag them across her skin, just a bit (though she wouldn’t forget about that awful “Eri” girl and the stupid bunny/beast stuff). She wanted him to run his claws over her scalp (probably while he was dragging those fangs across her skin).

Then there were his ears. It wasn’t just the silken silver fur that covered them, or their perfect triangular shape sitting symmetrically and naturally on his head, it was _what they did_. It was how they would follow sounds he was interested in. It was how they would wiggle when he was excited or shoot backward when he was a little nervous. It was how… they always seemed to be trained on her. When she was facing him, they were fully forward and erect. And if he was _not_ facing her, one ear always was.

“Maybe I shoulda made ramen instead of… omelets.” Inuyasha chanced a little glance back toward her, his ears drooping.

“We could always… have ramen tonight?” Kagome blurted it out before she could stop herself.

She clapped her hand over her mouth. People didn’t go on 24 hour dates… Before she could take it back, Inuyasha started to chuckle, which quickly morphed into a laugh that seemed to vibrate through the whole of him. Inuyasha flipped the omelet he was working on onto a plate, then turned around to face her fully.

“You’re somethin’ else Kagome,” he said between snickers, “I… didn’t get anything for ramen tonight… So we’d have to go to the store.”

 _Inuyasha wanted to stay._ Kagome couldn’t stifle the smile that lit her whole being.

“I hear instacart delivers here,” Kagome winked; she had _plenty_ of ideas for what they could do to pass the time between now and sunset.

“So it does…” Inuyasha agreed. “How about this. _You_ make some coffee and _I’ll_ take care of ramen stuff.”

“You’re just angling for a _dozen_ batches of brownies…” Kagome giggled, grabbing the coffee beans he’d picked up and heading over to grind them. “But… I also make a _mean_ cup of coffee.”

“Oh yeah?” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. “Putting my half-demon senses up against your cuppa joe?”

“I guess I am,” Kagome cooed, grabbing her grinder and french press.

She’d made coffee enough with Shiori to know the little changes that made it palatable to sensitive noses. She set to work as Inuyasha punched in the ramen ingredients order on his phone, then went straight back to the stove to make the second omelet. It wasn’t long before their breakfast-as-lunch was finished. Inuyasha served the plates of bacon, homefries, and omelets, and Kagome brought over two mugs of coffee.

They sat at Kagome’s little kitchen table, and dug in. Kagome tried a bite of omelet and Inuyasha sipped the French-pressed coffee. As she pressed her tongue to the fluffy egg, an explosion of chèvre and sun dried tomatoes hit her palate, followed by the basil. The egg balanced the flavors, and all melted in her mouth without so much as her having to chew. It was, simply put, the best omelet she’d eaten in her entire life. Kagome didn’t even attempt to stifle the moan that broke from her.  
  
“Holy shit.” Inuyasha’s eyes were wide, the lip of the mug still level with his mouth. “This coffee is… _good_.”

“No extra flavors, a little extra water in yours for your half-demon nose,” Kagome shrugged.

“...Shiori,” Inuyasha murmured, looking down at the mug. “I’m not the first half-demon you’ve given coffee to.”

“That you’re not,” Kagome agreed, then leaned across the table. “And _you_ are going to have to tell me how the hell you learned how to _cook_ like that!”

“You like it?” Inuyasha’s ears were wiggling again.

“I _do_.” Kagome took another bite, and again, failed to stifle the moan that broke from her, especially when she tasted the home fries—the _bacon fat_ fried home fries. “Why do you ever go out to restaurants when you can cook like this?”

“Probably because a double blind date at my place would seem creepy…” Inuyasha chuckled, taking another sip of coffee.

Kagome laughed too hard for the half-joke. He wasn’t wrong. It seemed so long ago. It seemed like she’d known Inuyasha forever even though it was only for a single night.

The two ate the rest of the breakfast-as-lunch that Inuyasha prepared, and Kagome didn’t stifle a single one of the happy noises she made as she ate. It had not escaped her notice that he watched her. Or that he licked his lips when she let out a sigh from the way the bacon was perfectly crisp. She didn’t miss the little vibrations in his ears or the dark and predatory glints in his eyes. She _hoped_ it was because he was thinking about what he wanted for his next meal, and she certainly hoped that it was _her_.

After the last bite of omelet and the last sip of coffee, Kagome made a decision. She wasn’t going to dance around what she wanted, because she was pretty sure that it was what he wanted too. She stood up and grabbed all the plates and the mugs and threw them in the sink. They could definitely wait. _She_ on the other hand…

“Inuyasha? I am going to take a shower,” Kagome said confidently. Inuyasha nodded and made his way toward her dishes, seemingly unaware that the announcement was more an _invitation_. It was now or never… “Care to join me?”

Kagome barely finished her question before she heard the crash of dishes and Inuyasha’s arms were wrapped around her, and he was kissing her again, as if he was starving and she was the only thing that could sate him ( _...if he only knew…_ ).

“I… I wasn’t sure you still…” Inuyasha whispered as he focused his kisses on Kagome’s neck, “… _wanted_ me.”

Kagome reached up and pressed her fingers against the soft fur of Inuyasha’s ears, causing him to go limp against her.

“I don’t think I’ve _ever_ wanted someone as much as I want you,” Kagome admitted, the excitement and anticipation of what was to come already pooling inside of her. “Please?”

Inuyasha gently removed Kagome’s hands from his ears, then leaned his forehead into hers.

“Me either,” Inuyasha whispered, then the softness in his eyes turned mischievous. “And you don’t need a shower. You smell _delicious_.”

“Oh I sure _do_ need a shower, dirty dog!” Kagome let out a rapturous laugh, before grabbing his hand and taking off for the bathroom. “And so do you.”

Kagome heard a little ‘keh’ from behind her, as well as a chuckle. He could probably scent her excitement (and _other things_ ), but somehow, that made it even better.

She still couldn’t believe it. She had no expectations for that double date. Miroku was infamously bad at setting people up, and technically he _had_ failed again, but in exactly the right way. And it was not something Kagome could have predicted either. Inuyasha was _perfect_ , and in none of the ways she expected. Inuyasha’s bluntness was honesty disguised behind a shield: he didn’t want people to see his heart and yet he couldn’t help but show it. His smiles were always genuine (and so were his frowns) and he seemed to worry endlessly about taking care of others. He didn’t like bullshit, and seemed to be trying his damndest to heal from the wounds of half-demon bigotry that had left a lifetime of scars. Oh, and he was _gorgeous_ —she-wanted-to-lick-the-sweat-off-all-his-muscles gorgeous.

The moment that they were both through the bathroom door, Inuyasha pulled Kagome back into his body, his hands now finding their way under her camisole. Inuyasha’s tongue hesitantly probed Kagome’s lips, which she immediately opened to allow him entry. He tasted like the coffee they drank, with the slightest note of chèvre. Kagome let her tongue curl and meet his, and ran her hands through his hair.

“Showers usually involve water,” Kagome mumbled while they kissed. She didn’t want to stop, she didn’t want to let go of his lips but… the shower promised so many other things, _better_ things. “And a lot less clothing…”

Inuyasha whined momentarily when Kagome broke their contact. She turned on both spigots, trying to calm her own racing heart. It helped that Inuyasha clearly wanted this as much as she did, but that didn’t mean that the first time butterflies weren’t fluttering through her stomach. As she turned back to him, they looked at each other, silently asking the question, _do we dare?_

Kagome stripped off her camisole in answer. _She did dare._ At Inuyasha’s widening eyes, she looked down and realized that she was _not_ wearing a bra. Kagome then pulled down her pajama shorts.

In two moves, she was standing naked in front of him.

“Need help?” Kagome giggled, bringing a dumbstruck Inuyasha back to the present by placing her hands on his shirt.

“Y-yeah…” Inuyasha muttered, letting Kagome guide his t-shirt over his head.

She was _not prepared_ for what she saw. She knew Inuyasha was attractive, well-muscled even, and she called him beautiful unironically. Then she saw him shirtless. His skin shimmered slightly golden, and only served to bring more attention to his muscles. Inuyasha looked sculpted from marble, with perfect peaks and valleys of his washboard abs carved down toward his groin. His chest and shoulders were broad, like an Olympic swimmer’s: not too beefy, not too slim, just right. Kagome swallowed, and willed herself onward. She wanted— _needed—_ to see more. Inuyasha stood stock still, his eyes dancing with some combination of awe and lust and joy, glancing to her eyes, then taking in her body.

“You’re beautiful,” Inuyasha whispered.

“So are you,” Kagome whispered back, pausing her hands just momentarily to brush against one of his ears.

Inuyasha leaned in for another kiss. It didn’t project the hunger of the others; it was more. A kiss meant to let her know what she _meant_ to him. It was the kiss of a half-demon alone in a world he had to navigate by himself, looking for someone who’d never call him a beast. And it was a kiss of a half-demon who’d laughed at his first drag show, and teased her about stealing the peanut butter cups, and waited and hoped that she could accept him _as he transformed in front of her._ It was the kiss of someone who was beautiful inside and out. Someone, Kagome believed, who was going to be an important person to her for the rest of her life.

Though right now, even while she could feel the warmth of his honest kiss blossoming and spreading through her body, she needed _him_. And she needed him bad.

“Can I…” Kagome put her hands on Inuyasha’s waistband.

“Fuck, yes,” Inuyasha answered. His smile bathed Kagome in electricity.

Kagome wrapped her hands around the waistband of _both_ his track pants and boxer briefs, and slowly lowered them down his legs. If she thought his chiseled muscles stopped at his abs, she was sorely mistaken. The cut of his hips pointed directly down to his groin, which Kagome could now see was crowned in the silken silver hair that topped his head. Then came the moment Kagome had been waiting for and drooling over. Inuyasha’s dick popped out over the fabric. It was… _impressive_ —should-be-molded-into-a-sex-toy impressive. Kagome felt her knees go a little weak thinking about what it would _feel like_ inside of her.

“Cat got your tongue?” Inuyasha chuckled, reminding Kagome that there indeed was a man attached to the dick was salivating over. A hot man. A really really hot man.

“I was hoping maybe a _dog_ would get my tongue!” Kagome giggled, then she turned from Inuyasha and hopped into the shower.

At the same moment that the first of the hot water splashed against her body, Inuyasha’s arms came around her. He leaned his body into her back, and he kissed her neck. Kagome moaned at the double sensations of the relaxing heat and his slippery skin and lips. But even as Inuyasha was there, he held himself a little bit away. His hands touched her but hovered. His lips hid the fangs Kagome knew to be there. As if… he was worried about reminding her that she was naked with a half-demon.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome wheeled herself around, so that she was facing him. “You don’t have to hold back, you know.” At his puzzled look, she continued. “Your fangs. You can use them on me. And your claws. I know you’re not going to hurt me. Don’t hide the things that make you _you_ , because you think I won’t like it. Trust me. I _will_.”

The shock and delight that flashed across Inuyasha’s face had only been there an instant, but Kagome didn’t miss it. It made her smile. The next moment, he was kissing her again, this time letting _all_ of him press into her. He stopped pursing his lips over his fangs, and let them drag across Kagome’s skin. The sharp prick sent jolts of electricity cascading down her body, pooling ever more intensely in her center. Kagome moaned appreciatively, which led to Inuyasha taking sharper bites (which… made Kagome moan even deeper). When Kagome felt Inuyasha’s claws scratching at her back in congress with his teeth, her moans became more guttural and less controlled. Soon Kagome was letting her own hands explore Inuyasha’s body, tracing the lines of his muscles with her fingernails, squeezing his arms and his ass (only to find that they were all muscle too), and running her fingers through his ethereal hair.

“We should actually use shampoo, dirty dog,” Kagome whispered, her body still buzzing from Inuyasha’s careful attentions.

“Don’t wanna,” Inuyasha murmured, his mouth sucking and licking the nape of her neck. “I like how you smell.”

“Please?” Kagome begged, raking her fingernails through the silver hair on Inuyasha’s groin. “But… only if it’s not too smelly.”

Inuyasha groaned, his body falling limp at her touches. “Fine.”

Kagome smiled, then brought her mouth back to his, pulling him in for a deep and joyful kiss. At Inuyasha’s hesitant but permitting sniff, Kagome lathered up her hair. She then rubbed the shampoo into her palms and rubbed down both her and Inuyasha’s bodies. The lather made them slide against each other, flesh pressing flesh in such a way that they were both moaning. And _neither_ of them had gotten what they actually wanted yet. As she rinsed her hair and skin, Kagome wrapped her hand around Inuyasha’s dick, which was rigid and throbbing under her touch.

“Ka—” Inuyasha breathed, right as she was about to start stroking up and down its length.

“Is this… okay?” Kagome stopped her motions. She probably should not have assumed he’d want her to do that without asking.

“Y—yeah,” Inuyasha exhaled. “Whatever you want.”

“Anything?” Kagome giggled, she knew _exactly_ what she wanted and planned on doing.

“Any-fucking-thing,” Inuyasha agreed, finally raising his face enough to look at her, a luminous smile upon it.

“Time to rinse you off then,” Kagome teased, then she dropped down to her knees, so that she was face-to-face with Inuyasha’s perfect dick. “And… maybe another thing.”

It had been a long time since Kagome had done this for… anyone. With most of the douchebros she’d gone on dates with, sex at least felt good. This though, this was something Kagome only did on special occasions for special someones, and she hadn’t had one of them for a while. But… Inuyasha was special. He made her want to remind him every single day that he was gorgeous and loveable and… _special_. To her. So she leaned forward, and opened her mouth, and welcomed his cock.

“Holy _fuckshit_ … Kagome…” Inuyasha moaned, leaning himself forward against the shower wall, but he didn’t move the lower half of his body.

Kagome opened her mouth wider and leaned farther forward, engulfing more and more of him. He was… big. And she knew she would never be able to take all of him in, but she wanted to worship him all the same. Wanted him to know that looking at, touching, and tasting his glorious dick was something she reveled in. Kagome added her hand to her mouth, stroking up and down his length with one hand, and gently caressing his balls with the other. Kagome licked and sucked and curled her tongue around the head, humming and teasing him as he growled and moaned her name. She lapped up the water that trickled down his body from the shower, relishing in the taste that was entirely him. Soon she could feel his answering thrusts as he got lost in the pleasure of her mouth and her hand, and she felt him tensing and tightening.

“‘Gome… I’m gonna…” Inuyasha warned. Kagome nodded, then set her hands to work, stroking up and down vigorously while he pumped into her hand, bellowing her name as he released, his seed rinsed away by the shower.

Kagome put her arms on the edges of the tub to pull herself up, only to find them both met with Inuyasha’s. He pulled her up, then leaned his whole body into her, engulfing her in a hug.

“Th—thank you.” Inuyasha didn’t look at her, but she could feel the rapid beating of his eyelashes against her neck. “You have _no fucking idea…_ ‘Gome. What you just did for me.”

“I’m just buttering you up for ramen,” Kagome giggled.

Inuyasha’s answering laugh boomed so loudly that Kagome was pretty sure she heard the neighbor dog bark in response.

“Oh… you buttered me up alright,” Inuyasha purred, turning to face Kagome again. “Buttered me up nice and good. I _hope you’re prepared… ‘Gome_.”

The way his entire body rumbled as he spoke tightened the coiling pleasure in Kagome’s core. She _was prepared_.

“Want to towel off and—” Kagome started.

“ _Yes,_ ” Inuyasha blurted, his eyes luminous and predatory. “But… let me.”

Kagome nodded. Inuyasha guided them both out of the tub, toweling himself off quickly. He then turned his attention to Kagome. Inuyasha touched her tenderly, letting his claws graze over her goose fleshed skin before massaging it with the terry cloth towel. The teases and tickles and rubs were causing Kagome’s body to buzz with anticipation, with _want_. She felt _loved_ , even though he was using no more than his hands and the towel.

And she needed more.

“There we go. Nice and dry,” Inuyasha said, touching the towel to the tip of her nose.

As they stood across from one another, Kagome felt the anticipation of what she hoped was coming next course through her. She wanted him so badly. And the way he’d dried her off as if he were worshiping a goddess had only made her body keen more acutely for the rest of him. As if he could read her thoughts, Inuyasha stepped closer into her space, and took her hand.

“I hope you… still want to…” Inuyasha muttered, but his eyes never left Kagome’s, leaving her with little doubt as to what he was asking.

“I do. I really, really do,” Kagome grinned.

She didn’t have much time to react before Inuyasha had thrown his arms around her and was kissing her. Kagome foisted herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around him, and he carried her to her bedroom. It was all she could do not to laugh for the joy she felt in his arms. Or the way some deep and dark part of her purred when one of his fangs teased at her skin.

Inuyasha laid her on the bed, his eyes still gleaming with predatory delight. He then crawled up and over her, kissing her on the lips, then down her neck, before focusing a little bit of time kissing and licking each of her breasts. Kagome moaned as he let the rough of his tongue lavish one nipple, and then the other. Next he licked the underside of her breasts before kissing down her navel, his eyes never leaving hers, even as his tongue tickled her enough that she giggled. Finally, he settled his head between her legs.

“I think,” Inuyasha’s smile was wide and wild, matched by Kagome’s. “It’s payback time. What do you think… ‘Gome?”

“ _Yes_ ,” was all Kagome said before Inuyasha dug his nose into the juncture between her thighs.

The moment Inuyasha made contact, Kagome got a taste of just how turned on she’d been since the shower. She understood just how tightly wound the coil inside of her was. Because with his first tentative lick, Kagome was already having trouble controlling herself.

She had to let her voice go, because holding it in was painful. So she closed her eyes and simply enjoyed. Inuyasha’s fingers teased the lips of her sex while his tongue explored the little pearl of nerves that set her on fire. And soon, he’d found a rhythm that managed to keep edging her closer, without ever letting her fall off the precipice. His ministrations were bringing her a mixture of pleasure and tension and anticipation, causing the start of an unstoppable chain reaction that promised to undo her.

It was unbearable. And it was exquisite.

Kagome wanted to watch Inuyasha work, wanted to see if his ears wiggled while he lapped at her. But she couldn’t do much more than… experience. Sensations flooded her brain, and the euphoric coil tightened ever tighter. Finally, when the electric pleasure was starting to become too much, Inuyasha lavished her with a decadent stroke of his tongue.

Kagome couldn’t remember if she’d screamed, cried, shouted his name, or howled. Because the moment the tidal wave of her climax surged through her, she was pretty sure she blacked out. Kagome had _never_ orgasmed like that before.

Inuyasha crawled up the bed next to Kagome, propping his head on his elbow and facing her.

“Was it… good?” Inuyasha asked, his ears perked and a soppy smile on his face.

“The _best_ ,” Kagome answered, reaching her hand out to rub Inuyasha’s ear.

Inuyasha leaned into Kagome’s touch, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He looked so serene, so _content_ just laying there with her, but…

“Inuyasha?” Inuyasha’s eyes shot open at her saying his name. “Any chance you want to… _continue_?”

Kagome hadn’t failed to notice that Inuyasha certainly _looked_ ready to continue. And, after she found out what he could do with his mouth, well… she really _really_ wanted to know what he could do with his dick.

“S’okay. I um… I didn’t come… _prepared_ ,” Inuyasha mumbled, though Kagome didn’t miss the longing in his eyes.

Kagome couldn’t contain the cheshire grin that came onto her face. _She_ was prepared, and she would _never_ judge herself again for keeping condoms in her night table.

“Hold on,” Kagome giggled, then rolled over and opened the drawer, pulling out a single condom, “Looking for one of these?” At Inuyasha’s (involuntary) ear waggles, Kagome’s giggle evolved into a laugh. “Can I take that as a _yes_?”

“Fuck _yes_!” Inuyasha answered, his voice nearly as excited as his ears. He took the condom, but before opening it, he pressed a kiss to Kagome’s forehead. “You’re… well shit. You’re fucking amazing, ‘Gome.”

“So are you,” Kagome answered, bringing her lips to his and kissing him enthusiastically.

That she could taste herself on his tongue was oddly arousing. Not that, with a half-demon Adonis in her bed, she wasn’t already aroused and ready to _continue_.

Inuyasha didn’t break their kiss, angling himself to climb on top of her. As he straddled her, Inuyasha opened the condom wrapper and rolled it down his erect dick.

“Before I— _we_ keep goin’, I am gonna make sure you’re still… _ready._ ” With an impish smile, Inuyasha darted back between Kagome’s legs, then lavished her with a lick from stem to stern. It sent another shockwave of pleasure through her, resetting the coil that had already begun to reform. At Kagome’s squeak, Inuyasha chuckled. “I’d be down there all day if you’d let me.”  
  
“I’d rather have you _up here_ ,” Kagome purred.

Inuyasha’s face softened, and he crawled atop her, his eyes focused solely and completely on her. Kagome opened her legs wide enough for him to line himself up with her. The moment she felt the head of his cock tease her open, Kagome shuddered with anticipation. She wanted him inside of her so bad she was pretty sure she was whining a high-pitched whine. Slowly, tenderly, Inuyasha pushed inside of her, sheathing himself in her heat. The moment he was buried as far as he could go, they both let out a moan.

“Fucking _shit,_ ‘Gome,” Inuyasha groaned, his head dropping against her shoulder. “You should come with a warning sign. _No one should feel this good_.”

Kagome wanted to say something witty in retort, but at that moment, she wasn’t sure she was capable of forming words. Her body still thrummed with aftershocks of pleasure from her previous orgasm, and the stretch that Inuyasha’s cock brought to her insides was already coiling her core again in preparation for another, and he hadn’t even started moving yet.

Then Inuyasha started rocking his hips, thrusting in and out of her in languid, rhythmic strokes. Each time his cock retreated, Kagome’s sex tightened around it, pulling him back in. Even as her body hummed and sang with every new movement, she was fixated on his face. Inuyasha practically glowed from joy. His eyes burned with the fire of desire, but there was some deeper sadness and longing… and _happiness_ in them too.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, ‘Gome,” Inuyasha whispered as he moved, running his fingers through her hair.

Kagome smiled. She could only hope that he could see that she was lit from the inside too, with the joy of being with him. Because that was the only word for what she was feeling. _Jubilant._

Jubilant that so many things had to go wrong for this moment to exist. From Miroku setting them both up with the wrong people, to Inuyasha deciding against his best judgment to go and suffer through a date on his human night, to Kagome resolving ‘sure I’ll hang out with a random stranger until sunrise,’ to her sleep-deprived brain demanding to get what it wanted unhindered by a filter. 

The coil inside of Kagome felt again like an overstressed spring, and she moaned and whimpered as she started reaching for her second climax of their day. Inuyasha’s ears were pinned to his head, and his fangs were pressed against his lip. He was holding back his own orgasm. For her. So that he could bring her back to the peak before he let himself fall over it.

And Kagome would be damned if she didn’t give him that. Not after last night. Not after their glorious day. So she concentrated on his intense golden eyes. On his fangs. On his rippling muscles and his moonlit hair. She thought about how her body strained to accommodate him, and how each and every moment he was inside of her, Kagome felt filled, _complete_. And she thought about all the other dates they could have, showers they could have, exploring each other’s body and finding the things that made the other melt.

And she came.

It wasn’t as intense as the first, but it came from somewhere deeper. Somewhere in her soul. Somewhere that told her that she was meant to be with Inuyasha. And when Inuyasha followed her over the precipice, thrusting clumsily and roaring her name as he spilled himself into the condom, Kagome could only smile.

There were so many awful men, who fucked her like jackrabbits then stalked her on LinkedIn. There were so many who found out her best friend was a half-demon and threw in a little slur, just to make sure she knew where they stood.

And there were good men too.

But none of them had his golden eyes, or his perfect downy ears, or his silver hair or claws. And none of them made her laugh and roll her eyes in the course of a single sentence. None of them stared at her in earnest while they let her in on their most sensitive secret, or instacarted her breakfast.

None of them were Inuyasha.

After Inuyasha returned from removing the condom and cleaning up, he crawled into bed, resting his head against Kagome’s bare breast. Kagome stroked his ears and smiled.

Sure, Miroku was an idiot for thinking she would want to be set up with Suikotsu, but… she would need to bake him about a thousand batches of brownies anyway. Because Miroku was the reason Kagome met Inuyasha. And now that she’d found him, she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to let Inuyasha go.

“Hey, Inuyasha,” Kagome whispered. “I was wondering… would you maybe… want to stay the night?”

“One sunrise wasn’t enough for you, huh woman?” Inuyasha chuckled, turning himself to completely face her. He then kissed her forehead. “And yeah… I’d _love_ to stay. For as long as you’ll have me.”

Kagome smiled, and closed her eyes as Inuyasha’s head settled back onto her chest.  
She wondered if he knew that ‘as long as you’ll have me’, to her, probably meant forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has commented and kudos and read this story. It was an indulgence fic for me, written because I really love the movie _Before Sunrise_. It's been amazingly fun writing the fluff, the two-souls-connect conversations, and of course the little Suikotsu/Kikyo interlude. I hope you enjoy this little bit of fluff and feelz smut as the dessert course for this treat of a fic for me to write.


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